The Rogue
by Lady Destiny
Summary: FINI CyclopsRogueWolverine triangle, gets angsty in some parts. R&R s.v.p Rated for Language and Violence
1. Prologue

The Rogue  
  
Author's Note: Be gentle. My first time on actually writing about X-men Rogue/Logan okay?  
  
Disclaimer's Note: um... I dont own x-men at all....  
  
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It had been six months. Six agonizing months spent alone, staring at a blank ceiling. Six months in a huge mansion living with more than a hundred strangers and a crippled telepath. Six months of being avoided by students and teachers alike. Marie sat up and watched the even swaying of her blood-red curtains. She took off her leather gloves and ran her fingers through the smooth steel-railing of her balcony. She savored the feel of the wind blowing on her exposed skin.   
  
She stared at the starry sky and wondered how long she would need to suffer. The nightmare she recieved from those 'poor' suckers she drained left her wishing for death and fave her unwanted insomnia. Nights were always her favorite time of the day, but ever since she had been plagued by nightmares, she dreaded everytime the sun would set.   
  
She went back into her room and closed her balcony door. Not bothering to place her gloves back on, she opened her door and walked towards the stairs. Her legs seemed to move on their own accord and she was heading towards the teacher's floor. She stopped in front of a tall mahogany door and opened it with shaky hands. The smell of cigars and beer wrapped around her frail form.   
  
His bedroom was just the way he had left it. Everything was left untouched, save for the bed. She opened his drawers and found his sweaters and his sweats still in the same place as it had always been. She fingered the Xavier emblem on them and smiled. Beside his king-sized bed, were his weights and beside those, was a bench-press with two towels thrown over the chair. She smiled and fingered his blue -black sheets.  
  
Feeling her strength leaving her body, she broke down beside the bed. Sobs wracked her body as she cried her frustrations away. She didn't care whether or not he would be able to smell her scent on his bed.   
  
'God Logan... why the hell did you leave me here?'  
  
She crawled on top of the bed and slithered under the heavy comforter. She knew for a fact that he never used the bulky but warm blanket, that he always used a thin sheet.  
  
She sighed and closed her eyes, letting the smell of him comfort her as it did numerous times before. A lone tear fell from her eyes as she fell into a deep slumber, dreaming of the day that Logan would come back.  
  
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Author's Note: Good? Bad? Sad? what? 


	2. Making Friends with Cyclops

The Rogue  
  
Author's Note: Thanks for your reviews, I hadn't thought that you would actually read it so quickly. I hope this chapter will be good!  
  
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Marie made sure she woke up minutes before the sun came up. Opening her eyes, she saw her vision clear and tried to find the digital clock that was given to her. However, she found that it was missing.  
  
'Oh right! Duh Marie, you're not in your room!'  
  
She had discovered that she always forgot she was in someone else's room. She just felt so comfortable and safe. She sat up slowly and made the ruffled bed. After making sure she left everything in the same place she found them; she silently crept into the hallway hoping that she wasn't as late as she thought she was.  
  
Clutching her white nightgown, she tip-toed towards the stairs cringing as she heard the floorboards creak.  
  
" You know I can't keep letting you do this."  
  
She spun around and found herself face to face with a tall man with red glasses. She blushed slightly at his state of dress and hung her head staring at the carpet as if they were the best things in the world.  
  
Scott sighed and went into the hallway. " Come on, we've got some talking to do."  
  
Marie nodded and followed him into his room. Scott made sure no one else was in the hallway and closed his door. She watched as he sat on his bed and motioned for her to sit next to him. Doing as she was told, she silently sat a foot away from him.  
  
" Now, I've noticed you going to Wolverine's room countless times before, why do you do it?" Scott asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.  
  
Marie hung her head. She didn't want to be confronted. She only wanted to feel Logan, to feel safe, to feel loved. A lone tear fell from her eyes and a pain that she thought she had hidden had resurfaced. 

" Rogue… its not that I don't want you to feel safe or comfortable," Scott started. " You're depending on a man who is never here."

He found himself inching towards her and placing his arms around her.  
  
" I... It's his nightmares... they haunt me too," she said quietly. " I've tried everything... but they all haunt me..."  
  
Scott watched her and sighed. He stood up and opened his closet to find more suitable clothing. He sat back on the bed and held her close, being careful not to touch her skin.  
  
" Who haunts you?" he asked.   
  
Marie went silent. She looked around his room and found his room to be the exact opposite of Logan's. His weights were all neatly racked and books covered the shelves on his table. His sheets were pure white and already made.  
  
" You're... incredibly neat..." she said observantly.   
  
Scott looked at the girl in his arms. She was so much like the Jean he had fallen in love with. He chuckled at her observation and looked around for himself.

" Don't change the subject," he said hiding his smile. 

Marie sighed. " No one knows… but I… don't just suck the powers or the energy out of people," she started. " I… I take in their memories, their hopes and their dreams, I can feel what they felt when they were watching a certain play, or writing a certain letter… everything! And I hate it… I hate it!"

Scott fell silent. " Everything?" he asked.

Marie nodded. " Logan-Logan's nightmares are brutal. His past is so hazy but there is enough to tell that he didn't have a good one… and… Magneto… his fear of humans…" 

She looked into Scott's glasses and found herself staring into cerulean eyes. Blinking twice, it was gone, camouflaged in red plastic. She stood and began to walk towards the door.

" Where are you going?" he asked.

" To my room… I don't think I should stay here," she said sadly, wiping the tears from her eyes. 

" Stay. I can tell your teachers you aren't feeling well. I'll get your clothes." 

Marie stared as Scott stood and closed the door. She sighed and smiled sadly. Maybe she could live in this school with strangers… no… strangers and a friend, plus a crippled mentor. She found herself crawling into Scott's bed as she did with Logan's. She wondered why Jean did not share Scott's room.

She fingered the dogtags on her chest and fell into a deep sleep.

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Scott hurried to Rogue's room and found her closet to be the exact opposite of what he had expected. She always wore black clothing, hiding her figure, hiding her hopes and dreams, hiding herself in darkness and never letting herself be comfortable with anyone.

She trusted no one. None but Logan. Scott scoffed and pulled out an outfit he thought was suitable for her. Being color-blind, he had no idea whether It matched or not. 

As he went out the door, he found a couple making out by the stairs and saw red. It was Jean, in another man no, boy's arms…

Scott felt air leave his lungs, he stumbled towards the backstairs and ran up towards his room. Tears streaked his face as the image was burned into his memory.

__

Why Jean? Why did you have to betray me like this? Scott asked himself, already knowing the answer. Rogue had been in his room for less than a minute and she had already hit him dead on. He was too predicable. Too much like a robot and it pushed Jean away.

Scott slowly opened his door, expecting to find Rogue impatiently waiting to leave. However, he just saw an angelic figure underneath his covers, clutching her chain as if it were her only lifeline. Scott sat down beside Rogue and gently shook her.

" Rogue? Rogue, wake up."

She stirred and stretched. She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision and smiled at Scott. Scott felt pain in his chest as he looked down at the innocent figure in his bed. Jean had never been so innocent, she was always so much like Logan, taking things into her own hands. The reason he fell for her was for her independence, her careless lifestyle.

" Hi Scott," Rogue said, her southern accent coating every word. " What time is it?"

Scott looked at his wristwatch and shrugged. " A little before 7."

Rogue shot up like a cannon and threw his covers off of her slender figure. She snatched her clothes from his arms and looked at him strangely.

" Sugah, I cannot believe you picked this outfit for me…" she said.

"Why not?" Scott asked. " I thought it would look nice on you."

Rogue lifted her eyebrow. " By the time the day is over, half of the people in this institute will be drained dry."

Scott never noticed how much skin the outfit would show. 

"Oh," he said sheepishly. " I… kinda forgot about that."

Rogue laughed lightly and sighed. " I guess I'll just have to be extra careful. Professor said that I would have roommates by breakfast time… I guess I should go and meet them."

Scott nodded. He watched as Rogue stripped off her nightgown and blushed as he felt a pull on his pants. _Why am I not turning around?_ He wondered. His gaze fell on her lean back and found that she didn't have as much baby fat as most teens her age would have.

As Rogue put on the tight blue spaghetti string top, and the low hip jeans, she turned around and smiled. Scott marveled at how mature she looked with her hair down.

" Rogue… how old are you?" Scott asked.

Rogue looked at him and shrugged. " My parents told me someone dropped me off at their doorstep when I looked about 6 or 7, but they weren't totally sure. So they said I was 5. Right now, I'm 17."

Scott nodded. " You should get to class."

Rogue nodded. " Thanks Scott."

Rogue then slowly made her way to the door, then Scott took hold of her waist, the only part of her body that was not offending to grab hold of.

" Wait… um, when you feel like talking to someone… feel free to see me, okay?" Scott said. Smiling, Rogue nodded and went towards her room to find her shoes.

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Author's Note: Yes this is … Scott/Marie/Logan! Mwhahahahahahhahaahhaa! Okay freaky no?


	3. Strange encounters

The Rogue

Author's Note: Okay… strange ne?

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Logan found himself in another bar in his hometown. A beer in his hand, he felt the slight buzz of alcohol in his system. He knew with his healing factor, the alcohol level in him would never reach to a point where he would get a hangover the next night. The closest he'd been to a hangover was when Marie had pulled some of his powers from him and he went unconscious, waking up with a hell of a headache the next day.

He hated being so far away from his Marie. **His** Marie… he had no idea when he started thinking of her so possessively. Ever since that first meeting they had, he had been drawn to her like a moth to a flame. 

Logan growled. He was the Wolverine, and damn it! The Wolverine wasn't supposed to have any feelings… although possessiveness was another thing entirely. He roughly put his beer down and found a trashy looking woman staring at him like a hungry wolf would stare at a hunk of meat.

She weaseled her way towards the stool next to him and smiled. She fiddled with her blond hair, which seemed to have been blow-dried one too many times. Logan could smell arousal on her, which surprised him since her perfume was nearly choking him already.

" Hey there, handsome." The woman placed her hand on his and guided his hand towards her thigh. " Need some release?"

Logan growled and pulled his hand away. " I'd rather be shot in the head."

He stood up and began walking towards the exit. Truth was, Logan had been celibate for nearly six months now. As much as he wanted to deny it, not even Jean wanting him would arouse him as much as Marie would.

He sighed and went towards his truck. Maybe it would be a good time to go back to Marie. It was a long drive from Alberta to New York.

He started the truck and checked the cargo in the trunk. 'I sure hope One-eye appreciates that I kept her in good condition' he thought.

Shaking his head, he pulled away from the cheesy bar and went on his way, hoping somehow Marie was done growing up and was ready for him…

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Meanwhile in Wechester: Xavier Institute

Scott paced around in his room. It had been three agonizing nights ago that he had witnessed his fiancé kissing one of his students. Of course, like any normal human, he went into denial. Chanting mantras hoping that it was just a nightmare or that he was just a bit riled by Rogue's presence. 

But no, today was the day. Rogue had just been assigned to have two roommates and she was dealing with it fine. But as for him, it was the day to move on. He would break it off with Jean. As much as it pained him to do so. Jean was the one person he had counted on, the first person to approach him and treat him normally after his mutation.

Sure, the age difference was more of a turn off than a turn on to him since by the time he was 35 and just getting wrinkles, she'd already be wrinkled.

'Lovely thought there Scotty!' he grimaced.

Jean was wonderful. She was… his angel, until he opened his eyes and began to see the light. Jean, after going through puberty had become the opposite of his perfect woman.

There was a slight knock at his door. 'Who could be awake after 12?' he asked himself. Forgetting that he only had his boxers on, he opened the door and found himself face to face with a very scared Rogue. 

His mouth hung open as he looked at the angel standing before him. Rogue's hair was a mess, but it made her look like a cute child. The two platinum streaks framed her face and fell by her collarbone. She wore the same long white silk gown he had caught her in as she was sneaking back into her bed.

He cleared his throat and blinked at her. " Um, hey."

Rogue sniffled. " C-can I stay here? Just for the night? I-I don't mean to be a bother… but… L-logan's room was kind of… cold"

Scott smiled softly. " Sure, come on in."

Rogue sat down on his brown corduroy couch and shivered. Scott pulled out his blanket and placed it around her lithe form.

" Want to talk about it?" he asked, his tone soft and caring. It surprised him, how he acted around the troubled teen. He wasn't much of a romantic like Bobby and he never used that tone with Jean. It was as if this little girl woke up the Scott within the Cyclops.

Rogue sniffled. " I just realized that I don't know who I am."

She tucked her hair behind her ear and faced Scott. He stared into the pools of emerald and wondered how the teen could bear having so much knowledge inside. It was as if she were a twenty- year old stuck in a seventeen- year- old body.

" Having absorbed so many in such a short time span… it makes me wonder who Marie really is," she continued.

" Marie?" Scott asked. " Who's that?"

Rogue smiled. " That's me… my name."

Scott felt a pull at his chest. 'She should smile more often. She looks so beautiful'

" Logan used to say my name fitted me."

"It does."

Rogue yawned and Scott mentally slapped himself for keeping her up so late. 

" Here, take the bed. I'll be fine on the couch," Scott said as he led her towards his huge bed.

Rogue climbed in, and as Scott was making his way towards his couch, he felt her grabbing hold of his arm. He looked at her bare hand on his bare arms. 

' She…'

" Stay… please?" she asked, her voice hushing down to a whisper. " I don't think I can handle not having someone there…"

Scott nodded numbly still lingering on the fact that Rogue had just touched him, and he was still conscious. Rogue moved to the side as he climbed in. 

" Thank you."

Scott nodded as he watched her sleep, her hand still on his arm. Blinking, Scott began to wake the professor. Something was not right.

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Okay… short…. Very, very, incredibly short. 


	4. A possibility

The Rogue  
  
Author's Note: Thanks for all your reviews! It really helped, but until exams are over, I don't think I'll be able to update, so enjoy this chapter! It's pretty lengthy.  
  
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"Come on Chika! We need you to loosen up!"  
  
Marie rolled her emerald eyes and stared at her hyper-active Asian roommate. Her short black hair was slightly gelled to the occasion. Strangely enough, Marie was only three years older than the girl, which made her wonder if Jubilation Lee was somehow lying about her age. She was a bit stunted, but then again, so were most girls at that age. Fortunately for Marie, she had been blessed with long legs.  
  
"No" Marie replied calmly. " I don't think I'd want to spend a perfectly good hockey night for a dance."  
  
It surprised Marie how much of Logan had affected her personality. Sure, her accent is still as thick as taffy, but she'd been more obsessed with hockey and things dealing with the Canadian mutant.  
  
"Like, come on Rogue! Live a little!"  
  
Marie raised her eyebrow at her other roommate, Katherine Pryde. Her personality clashed with Marie's. Kitty was the kind of girl that Marie would have avoided in high school. She could practically use the word "like" more than a thousand times in a sentence. She had long brown hair and blue eyes. The normal cheerleading look. Although, she was so much more than a dumb 'blonde'. Thank God that she had absorbed so many intellectual people that she was promoted at an early stage and had actually graduated high school before her mutation kicked in.  
  
" Kitty, I do live, and I believe those saps at that dance would like to keep on living as well," she said sarcastically.  
  
Kitty flipped her brown hair in a pony-tail and huffed.   
  
" I dunno Chika… holing up in here is not what I call 'living'," Jubilee commented.  
  
So many things had changed just after Marie's encounter with Scott. Her old spacious room had been invaded by two boisterous teens whom were no more than two or three years younger than herself. It was... new for her to share a room. Strange, but nice.   
  
Marie found herself liking the two and becoming closer to them by the minute. She still got nightmares. They never ceased to end. Most of the time, she'd find herself in Logan's room crying her eyes out, but Scott would always be there to hold her and rock her to sleep.  
  
Marie stood and walked towards the window. Scott had been more than a friend to her, he was her best friend in the institute. Although they never showed it much outside, they had their private talks at night. Marie would not have been surprised if she and Scott knew more of each other than they did themselves.  
  
They had also been working on controlling her mutation. Somehow, Marie felt like Scott was keeping something from her in that area, as if he knew something that she didn't.  
  
A soft knock saved her from her two best friends.  
  
" I hope that's not Bobby," Jubilee whined. " I can't face him right now."  
  
"Why not?" Kitty asked as she jumped from the bed and fingered the door.  
  
" He said it might be time we moved in together..." Jubilee said, a blush coming to her face.  
  
Marie laughed and opened the door. 'Funny' she thought. ' Nobody's here'  
  
She stuck her head out the door and looked both ways in the hallway.  
  
" Um, Jubes, Kitty, I'm just gonna check something out okay?" she said.   
  
Not waiting for a response, she left and walked down the hallway. Someone had knocked on their doorway but she couldn't find any clues as to who or what was there.  
  
" You're losing your instincts"  
  
Marie screamed as she heard a soft chuckle in the shadows. She calmed herself and smiled as the figure came out.  
  
" Scott! Jeez you scared the hell out of me!"   
  
Scott grinned and scratched the back of his head. " Sorry about that, Marie."  
  
Marie smiled as she heard Scott say her name. After their conversation a few nights ago, they had started to get closer. Most nights, she would not even go to Logan's room anymore. Although she still kept his tags under her shirt, she didn't feel like a lonely girl anymore.  
  
She had begun to bond with Jubilee and Katherine and was so close to Scott and most students had rumors about the two. Ever since his engagement with Jean had been rudely cut off by none other than Jean herself.  
  
" No problem, so what do you want to talk to me about?" she asked.  
  
Scott held out his arm and she raised her eyebrow. Hesitantly, she entwined her arm in his.  
  
" It's that time of the day," Scott teased.  
  
Marie groaned in protest. " No! It can't be! It's so boring though! I mean, no offense to Ororo, her meditation classes give me the urge to sleep!"  
  
Scott laughed and nodded. " But its beneficial to both of us! I'll get control of my eyes and you get control of your mind..."  
  
"My mind? I thought it was my skin?" she asked.  
  
Scott stopped in front of the Professor's door. " That's what I need to talk to you about."  
  
Marie stopped and watched as he leaned on the doorframe. She could not help but notice how his outfit matched him perfectly. His loose blue jeans hung and clung in all the right places, and his red shirt matched his glasses.   
  
" Um, I don't know if you knew this, but remember the first night you came to my room?" he asked. " You had no gloves on, and all I had were my boxers... you hung onto my arm for more than seconds..."  
  
Marie's eyes widened in realization. She had skin to skin contact and Scott was still alive. Her mutation had somehow turned itself off and made it safe.  
  
" Wha- How- When..." Marie closed her mouth and began to reach for something to hold her weight. Her legs felt like jelly and she felt weak. She had touched Scott's arm... and he was still alive!  
  
" ... I talked to the professor about it for a few days and we've finally come to a conclusion..." he said.  
  
Marie faced him and waited for him to continue. " I think Professor Xavier would like to be part of this as well."  
  
Marie nodded numbly and walked inside as Scott opened the door for her. She robotically made her way towards the two chairs laid before the huge mahogany desk.  
  
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Professor Charles Xavier was in his wheelchair filing his papers. He stopped to see a shocked Rogue sitting, back straight in front of him. His quizzical look dispersed as he saw Scott's semi-worried gaze.  
  
* I take it you told her?* he asked Scott telepathically.  
  
*... er... somewhat. I told her about the night... but not the conclusion* Scott replied.  
  
" Rogue, would you like to hear about our conclusion about your mutation?" he asked.  
  
He saw her blink profusely and nod slowly.   
  
" Alright then..." he cleared his throat and maneuvered his way towards her chair. Taking her gloved hands in his bare hands, he smiled. " Remember the first time I tried to probe your mind and figure out what had happened to you?"  
  
She kept silent,but nodded.   
  
" I couldn't. I had guessed about your predicament, and was lucky that day." he started. " Rogue, your mind is like a huge maze that has traps and very eloquent defense mechanisms. It is virtually impossible for an intruder to probe your mind unless you let them, or you absorb them."  
  
" I... I don't get-"  
  
" The professor and I figured that your mutation is based on your mind. You can control whatever. You have the power to allow people to touch you or vice versa. Truth is, you can even make the mutation go the other way." Scott explained.  
  
" So... that night? I felt that I needed you for comfort so it turned off?" she asked.  
  
The professor smiled and nodded.  
  
" That is our theory. However, we have no actual clue as to whether it is true or not," Xavier said. " That is why, I have given you this time for meditation. Not in Ororo's class, but with each other. I believe that your mind feels comfortable with Scott."  
  
Scott nodded. " I think Ororo might be thankful that her two worst meditation students are going away!"  
  
Rogue smiled. " Thank you." Scott opened the door and walked towards the kitchen. Rogue was about to follow when the professor spoke up.  
  
" Oh, Rogue?"  
  
Rogue did a 360 and looked at him expectantly.  
  
" If you ever need to talk, my door is always open. You are like a daughter to me, though you have only been here for six months."   
  
Rogue smiled, feeling touched by the man's words. She had thought highly of the telepath and she knew what he had felt for her was mutual.   
  
" Thank you... I've wanted to know what it feels like to have a real father..." Rogue said timidly. " Thank you."  
  
Xavier nodded as she closed the door behind her.  
  
" Such a troubled child... much like Logan in many ways... and much like Scott in many ways," he thought. " Fate has certainly delt them all a poor hand."  
  
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Author's Note: like? ^-^ I have a feeling that its a big no... but that's okay! I still don't know who to pair Rogue up with... so... I am starting a poll! When you review give me a pairing. But to make things even: only one vote per person. not per chapter. If you've already voted you cannot vote again. 


	5. Older Sister

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The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey all! I know I said that I might not update until Mid-June, but I just cannot keep it in, maybe again… meh… okay, new layout! You like? Author's notes will be in bold, so that you will actually read it!

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Logan felt himself becoming anxious in returning to his Marie. **His** Marie. He liked the sound of that. Hopefully she would too. Somehow it comforted him that someone other than Xavier or Jean was waiting for him. He felt like Marie was his first accomplishment. The first person he ever truly cared for, romantically. Sure, he liked Jean, but not enough to actually want her around him 27/7. No, Marie was special, and as sure as hell, as soon as he gets home he would tell her so.

As he passed the border from one province to another, he felt a strange lump in his throat. The first time he had felt it was when he was at Alkali Lake and met Rogue. He knew what that lump was. It was trouble… or complications; either way, Logan knew it had something to do with Marie.

He stopped by the side of the road and slowly went out of his truck. A few days ago, he had felt some kind of a bond or link between him and Marie. Times when he got nightmares, he would reach into the farthest depths of his mind and call out for her. Sure, sometimes she called for him too, but it scared the hell out of him…he was in the middle of… business but he could practically feel her in his arms.

But now, something was wrong. It was like the animal in him knew that someone was near his territory. Some other bozo was holding his Marie. He snarled at how he was acting.

" What is happenin' to me?" he asked himself out loud. " I left her so she could grow up! Experiment and shit! So why the hell am I bein' so damn protective when I practically gave her the damn permission to screw some dickhead?!" he snarled.

He leaned on the hood of his truck and sighed. With a deep breath, he calmed himself down and nodded. Coming up with a plan, he made sure to keep himself in check. He would let Marie do whatever. Until she's ready… then whoever's near her is going to taste adamantium…

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Marie felt the hairs on her neck stand up. Since that night with Scott, her newfound link with Logan had been temporarily severed. Sure, she kept it from everyone, thinking it might go away if she wasn't too careful. Somehow, she knew what he was feeling and he was pissed.

'I guess he didn't take to well to me bein' with Scott?' she wondered. She unconsciously played with a lock of stray hair and slowly made her way down towards the kitchen.

" Finally showed up, Marie?" Scott teased, a boyish grin gracing his face. " I fixed us something to eat."

Marie smiled. " Thank you, kind sir!"

Scott placed two plates of tuna sandwich and two glasses of milk. He began to eat and Marie watched with a small grin.

" What?" he asked, wiping his face with a napkin. " Do I have something on my face?"

Marie shook her head. " No, sugah, nothin' on your face…it's just… fun… watchin' you eat."

Scott cocked his eyebrow at her. Marie burst out laughing as he tried to impersonate Logan.

" Fun to watch me eatin'?" he said, making his voice go low like Logan's. " Darlin' you ain't seen fun yet."

Marie saw his eyes glint with mischief even though they were covered with his glasses. She slowly backed away and broke off into a sprint passing by a sleepy Jean.

" Hi Rogue! Scott!" she said as the two ran by her. 

It was strange watching her ex-fiancé chase another girl down the hallway. Jean sighed sadly and plopped down at Rogue's spot and eyed her untouched breakfast.

" Why is it that when Scott broke it off… he decides to become the boy I fell in love with?" she asked herself.

" Maybe it's 'cuz he found you in a lip lock with my boyfriend?"

Jean faced the now glaring Asian girl and sighed again. It was only a week ago that she had gotten drunk accidentally and found Bobby out in the hallway. She had asked Scott to accompany her to a party, but he had refused. Since they were the elders in the institute, they were pretty much teachers, and as teachers, they had certain responsibilities. 

'Responsibilities I'd like to run from' Jean thought sadly.

" Jubilee…"

" Don't bother, Jean. I know," Jubilee said sadly and sat beside the older woman. " But face it. Scott's moved on. You should too… everyone knew it wasn't going to work anyway. The age difference was one thing… but you two were fakes around each other…"

Jean sighed once more. Nodding, she stood and began to walk towards her room. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

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Logan stopped at another cheesy motel and smoked his cigar. Having his healing factor, he knew that it would do him no harm. He took out a small piece of cloth from his back pocket and inhaled the scent.

" Marie."

It was a piece of her shirt. The same one that he had made holes through that one night he had stayed at the school. She had decided at that night to comfort him through his nightmares and had felt the pain of his claws through her shoulder.

He decided to see what she was up to. The link between them had made it easier for him to contact her than through the phone. Which, the Wolverine didn't do anyway.

* Darlin'?* he asked.

There was a slight pause.

*Logan? *

Logan smiled as he heard her voice loud and clear in his mind.

* Yeah Darlin' it's me. *

He could almost feel her smile. He pictured her in her bedroom reading another one of her romance novels.

*What did I do to deserve a call from the Wolverine? * She asked, her southern accent clear in her voice.

*Nothin' * Logan said as he played with the cloth in his hands. He began to examine the room he was in and found it to be small but cozy. * Who were you with this mornin'?*

*Scott *

Logan blinked. 'Scooter? Why the hell would… aw no… hell no!'

*Logan? *

Logan growled and clenched his fist. 

*Nothin' darlin', listen… I gotta go, there's a fight comin' up, but don't worry alright? I'm comin' home soon *

Logan severed their connection before she got a word through. He went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. He clenched his teeth with anger.

' One-eye's finally getting back at me… with my Marie!' he thought. ' Better leave now before he does any damage'

Taking his unpacked bag, he got a refund from the motel manager and drove off. 'What the hell happened?' he wondered. Something told him he should contact Xavier, and soon. Maybe a phone call wouldn't be so harsh.

==========================================

Marie flopped back on her bed and wondered why Logan was in such a hurry to leave. Usually they would spend hours talking to each other. It was like teens calling each other on the phone. She turned around and laid on her stomach, her elbows propping her head up. 

Jubilee was in the kitchen for a snack with Kitty, they were going to the party and didn't want to be too hungry after the first dance.

' Parties… who needs 'em?' she thought. 

" Rogue? Can I speak to you?"

Marie sat up and opened the door. She was surprised to find Jean standing before her with tears in her eyes.

" Sure, Jean… what's up?" she asked.

Marie had known about Scott and Jean's broken engagement, but she never asked Scott why they had decided to call it quits. Maybe it was time she found out.

" What… Who… I… Rogue… what's going on between you and Sc-Scott?" Jean asked between hiccups.

Marie stared at the woman before her and felt pity for her. The woman she thought was so perfect was now sitting on her bed crying about her best friend.

" Scott? We're friends… why?" 

" Please don't patronize me Rogue… Scott calls you Marie. Like Logan does," Jean said bitterly. " He is obviously falling for you."

Marie blinked and stood up. She closed the door and leaned on it. " Jean, I don't know why you two broke it off… but I'm sure Scott didn't just break it off so he could be with me!"

She continued before Jean could protest. " I mean, you two have been there together through thick and thin… so why now would he decide to just leave you?" she asked. 

Jean smiled at the girl. 'So much strength in her eyes…' 

She stood up and hugged a surprised Marie. After a few seconds, she turned and went out the door. Jean smiled as she heard the girl whisper to her before she left the hallway.

" I hope you patch it up with Scooter."

============================================

****

Author's Note: Yay! Chappie done! Very sucky but I do not care! Anyway… remember people vote now! Scott or Logan. Just keep in mind your vote will affect who Jean will be with.

By the way, here's the votes so far!

Scott=13

Logan=4

Remember: I will only take votes until Mid-June… then, the real pairing will come up and you will be able to find the story either under Rogue/Cyclops or Rogue/Wolverine.


	6. A Start of Something Big

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: I just want to thank all of you who voted and reviewed my story! Although I would love to thank you all individually, I think I will leave that for the last chapter of this story so that I can focus more on the task at hand. 

For those of you who wish for me to add characters from the cartoon to the story: I MAY add them, but I'm not positive, because I plan on writing another X-Men story, but it will be under X-Men: Evolution. And for those of you who think Rogue should just be independent… its kind of… depressing cuz… she'll be like… alone… and well… alone…

==================================

Scott watched intently, fascinated as Rogue sat perfectly still in the small room beyond the mirror. Professor Xavier had informed them both that the first step in controlling Rogue's powers would be to sort out the memories she had absorbed over the past few months. So there she was, sitting in the middle of the white interrogation room, sorting out the psyches in her mind.

" How is she holding up?" Scott asked Jean, who was sitting beside him watching the computer monitors closely.

"She's been better," Jean replied with a worried sigh.

Scott picked up a microphone from the table and turned it on.

" Rogue, that's great hon. I think you should stop before you over exert yourself."

Rogue had managed to convince Scott not to call her 'Marie' in public. It had just been a month since his engagement had been broken, and Rogue knew that Jean would still be hurting.

" Ah…I…think…I can…stand it…" she whispered through clenched teeth, trying to keep her concentration as she filed through Logan's memories.

She blinked as tears began to sting her eyes, reliving his memories. Every fragment of the experiment that he had been conscious in was now permanently imbedded in Rogue's memories. Previously, she had sorted and deleted Magneto's memories but kept his 'talent'. 

Scott clenched his jaws tight knowing Rogue was near exhaustion. They had been through the sorting process for nearly six hours now. He knew she had found a way to delete most of the things she reads, since she had not received a nightmare from Magneto's memories… but would Logan's be the same?

Suddenly, Jean gasped, horrified at the memories that Rogue was unconsciously projecting. 'Dear Lord… what did they do to Logan?' she thought. Tears streamed down her face as she watched Rogue's calm expression. Something was wrong.

"Scott…" Jean warned.

"I'm getting her out now!"

Scott panicked as he saw Rogue's posture waver. Jean watched as he ran to the room Rogue was in, catching the teen before she hit the floor.

He fell on his knees, Rogue's limp form in his arms. He had seen Jean, and knowing her for more than half of his life, he knew when she was in pain. Looking back at the ethereal form in his arms, he wondered how she could handle such a feat. 

Rogue's eyelids fluttered open and she smiled apologetically.

" Let's get you to bed," Scott said soothingly, stroking her auburn hair, not caring if his hands where gloved or not. 

Jean witnessed her ex-fiancé carry Rogue bridal style, making his way through the Medbay and up the stairs towards the bedrooms. She blinked away the remnants of her tears and used her chair to balance herself. The pain that she had felt from the girl… no woman was incredible.

Yes, that's what she was… a woman. Rogue's eyes held within them knowledge that would put Einstein to shame. They held the pain that only came with age, and the wisdom that was gained through experiences.

Jean sat down, trying to gather her thoughts. She had to admit that she had peeked through Rogue's mind, but only managed to see the memories that she had surfaced. But anything past that was always hidden in what seemed like unbreakable barrier that kept Rogue's mind from wandering telepaths.

* Jean, is everything alright? *

* Yes Professor, everything is fine now… * Jean replied.

* That is good. By the way Jean, remember, we will have a guest arriving soon. *

*Yes Professor… Dr. Hank McCoy, am I correct? * she asked, rubbing her temples.

*That is correct. Anyway, he shall be arriving noon tomorrow *

Jean sighed and cleaned the mess that they had made. The scattered cups of coffee, which Scott drank had surprised her. Usually he would be so neat and tidy. As she walked by the chair Rogue sat in, she noticed a dark red splotch on the floor. Kneeling down to examine the fluid, she concluded that it was blood.

'…Rogue?' she wondered. Then she noticed that it was trailing out the door. 'Dear God…'

========================================

Logan drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, growling once or twice. He had found out about Jean and Scott's situation from his 'bond' with Marie. He even went and crossed the line, talking to Jean in Rogue's form. Telling her that he hoped she and Scooter would patch things up. 

Turning his attention towards the road signs, he found that New York was not that far away, still far, but it would take him a few hours if he sped up enough. 

Logan really had no clue how or when the bond between him and Marie had formed. All he knew was that when she needed him the most, he would feel it.

He slammed on the breaks as he felt an incredible pain shoot up his spine. He ended up on the shoulder of the road, reliving most of his nightmares.

'Shit! Marie!' he thought. She was somehow trying to organize his memories and it was hurting her. Growling at the thought of her alone and in pain made him start the truck again and sped off.

He barely noticed the cuts that were healing underneath his palms.

========================================

****

Author's Note: Haha! Thought that the last sentence in the last chapter was Marie?! Haha! Sorry, I had an outline of what to write and I'm still going through it… although… the pairings are still foggy…

Votes so far:

Scott: 21

Logan: 18

Thanks for voting!


	7. Logan Returns

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey all! Thanks for the support and all of your reviews, as I said you will all get your moments of fame ^-^ at the last chapter after the epilogue! 

By the way, I've changed my mind about the last date that you can vote. I will keep accepting votes until June 30th! 

============================

Scott gently placed Marie down on his bed and noticed a slight dampness on her clothes. His red glasses prevented him from seeing other colors than red, but it did not prevent him from seeing hues. He knew that the substance coming from her arms was blood.

He rushed towards his bathroom and took out his first aid kit. Hoping she had not lost too much blood, he cleansed her wounds and wrapped them in a gauze bandage.

" Scott?" 

He snapped out of his thoughts and smiled as he saw Marie wake up. 

" Hey there babe," Scott said playfully. " Never do that again, alright?"

Marie nodded. " I swear… I just… I thought I could handle it…"

Scott nodded and took Marie's hands in his. He knew the consequences of his actions, but hoped the gauze was enough. He ran his thumb over her knuckles and looked into her eyes.

" Never do that again," he repeated in a more serious tone.

Marie nodded and smiled. It had been almost 8 months in the Xavier School for the Gifted and she finally found someone other than Logan that she could be comfortable with.

----------------------------------------------------------

Jean ran as fast as she could towards Rogue's room. As she burst in, Jubilee and Kitty both screamed in surprise.

" Dr. Grey!" Jubilee exclaimed. "What's wrong?"

Jean looked around and found Rogue's bed empty.

"Where's Rogue?" she asked panic clear in her voice.

" Rogue? Like, we thought she was with Mr. Summers down in the Medbay or something…" Kitty replied. 

Jean wrinkled her brows with concern. " Jubilee, are you sure they didn't come here?"

Jubilee nodded hesitantly. " Is something wrong? What happened? Is Rogue okay?!" she cried hysterically. 

Jean didn't bother to answer her question, but ran towards Scott's room, hoping that he was there. 'Rogue… where are you?'

*Jean, what is wrong, child? * 

Jean whimpered slightly as she remembered the pools of blood on the floor. She stopped to catch her breath and heard the Professor ask her if she was all right.

*I can't find them Professor! I can't find Rogue and Scott! She was hurt and bleeding! * Jean cried. Tears flowed freely from her eyes and coursed down her cheeks.

*Jean, be calm. Scott has just informed me of Rogue's situation. They are in his room right now. *

Jean stiffened slightly, but managed to thank the telepath. Pain clenched at her heart as she opened her eyes to the truth. Scott was moving on. She staggered down the hallway and bumped into a mass of muscle.

'Moving wall? Walls don't move!'

She blinked her tears away and found herself staring up at a rugged black-haired, brown-eyed Canadian. He smirked at her and held her balance.

" Hey Red," he said gruffly, somewhat hoarse from the lack of use.

"Logan," she breathed, still recovering from her close encounter with his adamantium filled chest.

He chuckled and gave her a wink. " How're things?" he asked, his tone serious.

Jean lowered her head, saying nothing. Logan sighed and punched the table in the hallway, shattering it into splinters.

"Marie got hurt," he said. He didn't ask her if he was right. He just stated it, just knowing.

"She over-exerted herself, Logan… she's resting in Scott's-"

"Woah… Cyke? She's with One-eye? What's she doin' with him?" he asked.

Jean swallowed the bitterness she tasted in her mouth and the pain that went with it. " He- they've gotten… Scott and I are…uh…" 

Jean had no idea what to say. What **do** you say to a man who's been gone for nearly half a year without a phone call or a postcard? What do you say to a man who ran from his emotions only to come back to the girl he left… who has another chasing her?

Finally, she just broke down crying. " It was my fault… If I hadn't been drunk that night, I wouldn't have kissed Bobby… and Scott wouldn't have broken the engagement and then he and Rogue wouldn't be so **cheeky**!"

Logan felt embarrassed seeing Jean breakdown like that. It was more Scott's duty… but then again… right. She and Scooter broke it off. So he found himself scooping up the sobbing red-head and shushed her soothingly like he did with Marie, only more on a brother-sister way. Jean smiled softly after a few minutes, sniffled and looked into his eyes. Placing her hand on his cheek, she sent him a telepathic thank you and hugged him. 

Thus was the position that Scott and Rogue had seen them in. Jean opened her eyes and found Rogue with a blank expression on her face. Though Scott… had been projecting. Jean cursed herself of her bad luck and Logan growled and clenched his jaw as Rogue walked numbly past the two and went towards her room.

Scott glared at the two and marched up towards them. " You know what? I actually felt guilty of breaking it off between us, but after seeing that… you two deserve each other," he spat bitterly. " Don't even think of going near Marie, Logan. You've done enough. To think, after six years of putting up with rumors… thinking they weren't true…"

Logan was about to retort, but was held back when he felt Jean's hand on his arm. He sensed guilt coming from her that was more than inches thick. Scott turned around and made his way towards the garage.

Facing Jean, Logan tilted her chin so that she was facing him. " What was that about Jeannie?" he asked. 

" It's true…" she said looking into his eyes. " The rumors… they're true. I-I just didn't think Scott was the right one…until now."

Logan watched Jean walk away sadly. Feeling nothing more than pity for the woman, he decided to raid the fridge. Rogue was mad and he knew she should have time to cool off.

'Did Scooter call Marie…Marie?' he thought. He suddenly felt possessive. He had never thought of Scott as competition before, with Jean or anything else. Now, he felt threatened by him. 

===========================================

Marie sighed as she hugged her knees. Scott's room was quiet and gave her time to think things through. She had been thinking of running, thanks to Logan's contribution to her psyche, but Scott's influence on her was greater than she thought. She managed to climb into Scott's room and holed up in there until dinnertime. She knew Scott would come sooner or later with food, of course he would always check his room first, knowing that was where she would go nowadays.

Logan's room was the one place that she was comfortable with in the first months that she stayed at 'Mutant High', but somehow after Scott had caught her sneaking out of his room… Everything changed. Scott earned her respect, regardless of what Logan may have thought of him.

She found that she and Scott had many things in common, and his room was good for afternoon and morning meditation. She would meditate in his room while he exercised, they were comfortable with each other.

Scott had opened up to her, telling her what life was like when he and Jean were still together, how happy he was. Then things went sour. Rumors about her and other men filled the mansion, everyone noticed how much Jean would look at other men even when Scott was around.

" Hey baby, thought I might find you here."

Marie's thoughts broke as she snapped back to reality. She found Scott with two plates in his hands by the doorway with a grin on his face.

" I liked your room," Marie said smiling.

" Here I thought you came for the company," Scott teased. Marie thought she saw his eyes through the ruby quartz glasses, but shook it off as her imagination.

He placed down the plates on his desk and pulled up a chair. He watched as Marie trudged towards the desk with one of his metal chairs.

" Sorry you had to see that," Scott said sincerely, the mirth gone from his voice.

"Its not your fault sugah," Marie whispered. " I mean, Logan's just a mass of muscle and hormones put together… Ah'm sure that it wasn't Jean's fault…"

Scott shook his head as he popped a forkful of peas into his mouth. " No… time to face facts Roguey. Jeannie's not the woman we all thought she was… "

Marie fell silent. She loved Jean, she was like an older sister to her, but no one was perfect. No matter how much Marie had thought Jean was the dictionary definition of perfect, she was as bit as imperfect as anyone in the world.

" What are we doin' just moping here?" Marie asked. "We should go out or somethin'…"

Scott nodded, he placed down his fork and smiled mischievously. " Hey hon."

"What?" Marie asked. She was used to his nicknames now, and he was used to hers. She laughed at first when he tried to call her names to see which fit, but so far the only ones that sounded good coming from Scott was 'hon', 'baby', 'babe' or 'Roguey'.

" Wanna go riding?" he asked.

Marie's eyes widened with happiness. Scott being spontaneous was rare, and when it did happen, Marie knew when to take the opportunity.

"Would I ever!? Let's go!"

=========================================

****

Author's Note: cruel no? But fun to write! Anyway, as I said vote now! June the 30th the last day to vote!

Scott: 26

Logan: 25


	8. We're Rootin' For Ya

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: sorry about the delays. FF.net had a few problems and I couldn't upload, and once I could, there were the matters of exams. I live in Canada. We have exams in the middle of June. You cannot blame me for that… 

====================================

Marie sighed as she drove Scott's red convertible down the driveway. As she pulled into the garage, she looked at the drunken passenger and brushed off his stray bangs.

The fearless leader, the stiff with a stick up his butt… wasn't so invincible. Only she knew that. Jean, no matter how much she cared for that woman as her sister… she hated her for being everything that she wanted to be. For having everything Marie ever wanted and… just taking it for granted.

Marie climbed out of the convertible and ran towards the laundry room. There were always extra bedding and blankets to spare. Taking one of the thicker blankets, she walked back to the garage, unaware of Logan's alert eyes watching her every move.

She laid the blanket around Scott and reclined the car seat. She decided to leave his glasses on him. Knowing he was going to be hung-over and stiff, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about blasting a hole in the garage.

" Why Jeannie?" she heard him mutter under his breath. Feeling sad for her friend, she stayed and watched him sleep.

"Shh," she cooed. The nights she spent with Scott were usually spent like this. He would drink with her and pour out his heart as she comforted him. In the mornings, everyone would see the man who broke it off with Jean. The one who made Jean sad, but at nights… Marie would see the broken man who had been betrayed by the one that he loved most.

The months that they had shared together, getting to know each other better, were spent either in his room or in the danger room. Marie cherished those times, knowing that was the only thing that Jean didn't have. Precious times with Scott that only they shared.

Marie stared at Scott as he whispered in his sleep. Nightmares plagued him, like they did with Logan. Only with Scott, he was being tortured by memories of seeing Jean in the arms of other men. And now, she assumed he would be seeing Jean in Logan's arms.

She smiled sadly as she replayed the scene in her head. Jean in Logan's arms. She had accepted the truth the moment she saw the look in Logan's eyes the first time they had arrived in the mansion. She wondered briefly if that same look was in Scott's eyes when he first saw Jean.

Scott. Marie wondered what color his eyes were, if Jean knew. If Jean saw them.

Everyone called Scott a cutie. Even Ororo had to admit that Scott was handsome. No one denied it, especially not Jean. But nothing compared to just seeing Scott sleep. Marie wondered, as she played with a few stray bangs, if Jean stayed up and watched him sleep. 

" Hey Kid"

Marie spun around and found Logan staring at her. His eyes were emotionless, but she could somehow tell he was tired. His hair was disheveled, as if he just woke up. Then she smelled something, and realization hit her. He had been with Jean. 

"Logan. Welcome back," she whispered. It was painful having to see the man of her dreams with Jean. 

Sister or not, Marie could not help but feel bitter towards Jean. For taking everything for granted, for just throwing Scott away… and for taking the one thing that Marie had cherished most.

"About Jean…" he started. He sighed, thinking of the right words to say. Marie walked past him, and he followed her towards the kitchen. 

Marie opened the refrigerator and took out a can of beer. 

"Want one?" she asked.

Logan shook his head, still in shock of what was happening. He took a good look at the girl he left almost half a year ago. She had grown up. Her curves were purely feminine, and well shaped. She had grown taller as well. She was Jean's height, if not, taller. 

He watched as she drank a can of beer without even stopping once. She walked towards the medicine cupboard and took out a bottle of aspirin and a bottle of water.

" Where ya goin' with that Marie?" Logan asked. 

She turned around and shook her head. "The garage. I'm going to sleep. Why don't you go back to Jean. I think I hear her calling."

===========================================

'How the hell can sh-' Logan let his claws loose and enjoyed the pain they caused. Marie had his abilities. She had told him once that she can delete memories and personalities, and with Scott's help they were going to start on her control. She had explained that she couldn't delete the powers she received from mutants, that no matter how long ago she had absorbed them, she could always tap into their powers.

Now she had tapped into his and enabled her not only to rid of the buzz in her head form the booze, but also to smell Jean on him. 

'How the hell do I get into these things?' he wondered. He couldn't stand the sight of Jean sobbing. It was pathetic and… un-Jeanlike. When she asked him to stay with her, he did. He thought she just needed someone to hold her, not…for someone to be intimate with her.

Sure, he enjoyed every minute of it. He was always open for a free lay. Jean had told him it meant nothing and he knew it didn't. She just needed to relieve her stress and he was there.

'Shit' he thought. Things were really complicated now, complicated and messed up. He sat down on a stool and sighed. ' Damn it Marie, I said I'll make this up to you… and I will'

============================================

Scott woke up hating the sun. His head felt like it was being hammered and he felt nauseous.

"Good Morning Sug. You look fantastic," he heard a sarcastic voice say.

He sat up and immediately regretted it once his vision began to blur. He felt her balance him and he smiled gratefully.

"Thanks, Marie."

"My pleasure, Scott." 

He faced her and found it hard to smile as she handed him two pills and a water bottle. He took it gratefully and rubbed his eyes. He found that the 'plasma rays' would not penetrate his eyelids or his own limbs, so it was perfectly safe.

" We're in the garage, huh?" he asked as he saw the other dozen cars parked in the huge shed.

Marie nodded and smiled. " As I said before, sug. You could use to lose a pound or two. I can't carry you up the stairs."

Scott chuckled and staggered out of the car. Marie folded the blanket and placed it in the trunk. Scott raised his eyebrow and waited for an explanation.

" Well, since Logan is back, I believe we might need to take a few drives…" she said slowly. She looked at him with apologetic eyes.

He understood what they meant. Jean and Logan were together. 

" I guess we might." He said lightly.

Marie sighed and linked her arm through his. " Cut the act Scott. It's just me. Come on, let's have breakfast. I need to learn control today!"

Scott smiled and looked down at her. ' Logan doesn't know what he just gave up' he thought to himself. As they walked towards the dining room, they found Jean and Logan sitting together at a table. The room fell silent as they walked in.

Scott saw the pained look in Marie's eyes but found it being covered by a look of boredom. ' I won't let their stupidity break her. She deserves so much more…'

Scott surprised himself by stopping at a spot near Xavier and pulling out a chair for Marie. She looked at him wearily and sat down. 

He heard Logan growl and smirked inwardly. 'So, he does have a thing for Marie after all…' he thought. He smiled at Marie and began to eat his breakfast.

======================================

Marie looked at the one she had come to know as her best friend. Scott Summers was planning something. He didn't have to be inside her head to know that. He let her in deep enough to know him more than anyone and he trusted her. Right now, she didn't trust what her instincts were telling her.

She watched as he started instructing them in the danger room. She wasn't able to participate in this session, since it was a power-related course. Hers was a power that could kill, and it was not to be taken lightly. Instead, Scott had her sit and watch as the rest of the group displayed their skills.

"Hey kid."

Marie ignored Logan as he sat next to her, watching with her behind the plexi-glass. 

"Why aren't you out there with the rest of those geeks?" he asked softly. " I mean, you could probably whoop their sorry asses."

" I'm deadly. My skin can't be taken lightly."

Marie watched as he went rigid when she replied to his question. He growled and faced her, pinning her against the wall.

" Damn it Kid! What the hell are they shovin' in your head?" 

Marie glared at Logan, his growling not even fazing her. 

" The truth, Logan." She said quietly. 

They fell silent and Logan sighed, defeated. He ran his hand through his thick bluish-black hair and leaned back. 

" So Scooter got drunk last night," he said, changing the subject. " What, he had a sip or two of beer?"

Marie couldn't help but grin. She liked Logan back then, still liked him now. It was comfortable with him, he didn't have a stereotype, had no cares in the world. Logan was someone Marie had learned to open up to. Like Scott was beginning to make her do.

" Actually, it surprised us both that we had a lot to drink," she said. " He and I shared a bottle of Tequila, plus two Coors."

Logan stared at the Southern Belle and smiled, feeling proud of her. " You?"

Marie faced him, daring him to go on. " Yeah me! I admit, I had to convince Scott that I still had your abilities and even had to prove it!"

Logan chuckled and placed his arm around Marie, loving the feel of her in his arms. 

" I wish I could've seen that, darlin'," he said.

" Rogue, we need you down here, baby!" Scott said suddenly. 

Marie was momentarily shocked and nodded through the glass, making her way through the door. Logan swore mentally and was thinking of ten million ways to skin a Cyclops.

'Wait an effin' minute. Did that dick just call Marie 'baby'?!' Logan gritted his teeth and snarled as he saw Scott look at him. His expression smug and challenging.

He looked beyond the brown haired mutant and found an extremely pissed off red-head. He shook his head and decided to follow his Marie.

============================================

Scott saw Logan put his arms around Marie and he lost it. He was being patient, letting him talk to Marie, maybe apologize… but not to hit on her! He impatiently tapped his foot on the floor, receiving a few odd looks from the students.

" Mr. Summers?"

He turned around and found Julibee giving him a worried look.

" What is it Jubilee?" he asked. 

" Is something wrong? You've been acting really… pissy."

Scott sighed and shook his head. " Its nothing, Ms. Lee."

Jubilee looked towards Jean and then towards the couple that came in the door. She smirked and tapped Scott.

" Its Roguey and Wolvie, ain't it?" she asked. Scott was about to retort, but she cut him off. " Hope you know, Mr. Summers, we're all rooting for ya. Rogue deserves a good guy, not someone who runs off and leaves her alone."

Scott shook his head. He looked up and found Bobby, Kitty and the rest of the students nodding. He spotted Jean walking towards Logan and Rogue at a corner and he scowled. He started walking when Bobby held him back.

"Look, you guys have it all wrong. Rogue is my friend. Jean… is involved with Wolverine. I am just trying to get her to open up," Scott said.

He saw Jubilee and Kitty shake their head. " What? I am!"

" We can help. Rogue deserves more," he said quietly. 

'Don't I know it' Scott said quietly to himself. He looked at the three involved in what seemed to him as an argument. He walked towards them and saw the relief in Rogue's eyes.

" Sorry to interrupt, I need Rogue right now." 

========================================

****

Author's Note: how do you like that? Okay, so maybe I added Jean in the whole Logan/Scott/Marie thing, but its more like she's pining for Scott while Scott's discovering that he likes Marie. Marie… well you'll see. Logan… I'm trying my hardest to make him sweet… but I like him being a bad-ass, that's why Marie liked him…


	9. Erratic Waves

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey all! Thanks for all the votes you put in! I agree that I'm not really making Logan look any better, but that's going to change. I mean, what's a little love triangle without some complications, ne? But either way, whichever Rogue might end up with, I hope you enjoy it anyway.

Votes so far:

Scott: 52

Logan: 42

==============================

Marie sat cross-legged on her bed, concentrating on getting rid of the personalities in her head. It was possible, but most things that they had contributed to her would be permanently imbedded in her mind. 

Scott had just rescued her from an all out argument with Jean and Logan. She sighed and gave up, she laid flat on her stomach, she pulled out Logan's tags and began to fiddle with them. She heard a small knock on the door, and she hid the metal tags back underneath her pillow.

" Uh, who is it?" she asked, carefully checking if her skin was showing.

" Its your wonderful roomie, chica!" a cheerful voice replied.

Marie smiled and opened the door, revealing an incredibly bubbly Asian wearing a bright yellow jacket.

" Hey Jubes, what's up?" she asked. Jubilee sat on her bed and shrugged.

"Oh nothing," she said. " So tell me about the deal between you and Mr. Hairy N. Growly."

Marie looked at the girl's oh-so-innocent face and blinked. She shook her head and chuckled. " Nothing is going on between me and Logan."

"Says the girl who worships his tags," Jubilee shot back as she reached underneath Marie's pillow, retrieving the heavy metal tags. " I mean, geez, you know why they call these things 'Dog' tags right?"

Marie steeled herself for what was to come. Jubilee hated the wolverine, no matter how hot he may be, and Marie knew that.

" Rogue, they call them 'dog' tags because they signify possession. He wore these because someone owned him! And now, he gave them to you to wear!" she shrieked angrily. " And I don't mean that in the nice, romantic way!"

Marie sighed and sat back on the bed, closing her eyes, trying to silence Jubilee's voice in her head. 'Is that what I am… a possession?' she wondered. 'No. I have him in my head… sure I may be young… but he loves me.'

__

Or does he?

Maybe it was just a challenge for him. Maybe since you were the first person he ever actually talked to… or maybe…

'Shut up, Cody!' she thought. 

Cody, the first boy she'd ever kissed. After their prom, before her eighteenth birthday… She'd erased most of him, but some parts were hard to cleanse off.

Suddenly, she felt a hot searing pain by the nape of her neck. It started travelling towards her whole body. It made it hard for her to breathe. Something was wrong, she couldn't move, couldn't talk… Eric, or Magneto was gone from her mind… so who else could control her like this? 

====================================

"Shut UP, Cody!"

Jubilee stared in confusion and horror as her friend began to levitate. Her hair was whipping around her as if there was a strong breeze. Her eyes were clenched shut, so she knew that Rogue was in pain. 

'Crap!' *Professor! Something's wrong with Rogue!* she screamed in her mind. 

Jubilee backed away towards the wall and found Rogue's things orbiting around her body. She was no longer in the lotus position, but she sat, levitating four feet in the air, hugging her knees to her body.

" What happened, what's wrong?" Scott asked as he came in through the door with Jean and Logan not far behind.

The three stood by the doorway, staring in awe as Logan's tags, Rogue's gloves, and her picture frames started dancing around her.

"What the hell is going on?!" Logan growled. He stepped forward, but was harshly thrown back as an invisible shield formed around her lithe body.

Scott stared as her white bangs fluttered, dancing with her auburn locks. His heart suddenly skipped a beat, as he watched her.

*Scott! Help Me! *

He looked at Jean, but realized that the voice that had just spoken to him was too melodious and too sweet to be Jean's.

" Rogue! If you can hear me, I'm just coming in to get Jubilee!" Jean yelled. She had tried to speak to the girl telepathically, but she could neither hear nor sense anything in the girl. No signals, nothing. It was as if she had placed a firewall around her mind.

*Jean, try to get to Jubilee, I'll calm Marie down * Logan thought.

Scott sensed a telepathic conversation between Logan and Jean. Years of living with her had taught him many things. That included being able to read a telepath.

Logan tried to step forward, this time talking to Rogue. " Marie, darlin'… It's Logan…" he had gotten farther than before, and took that as a good sign. " Just let Jeannie in, alright?"

Suddenly, he was thrown even more violently than the last time. Scott would have laughed if it weren't for the situation. 

*Scott, I'm scared *

Scott clenched his teeth and stepped forward. Jean and Logan watched as he slowly walked towards Rogue.

" Don't be scared, Marie… It's just me," he said soothingly. He had clamed her down during her nightmares, and he was used to her tantrums, but he never had her freak out. " You just had a nightmare, baby. " he hoped it still works in this given condition.

Slowly, the objects around her began to float back to where they had belonged. Scott sighed with relief as he crossed the room, silently ordering Jubilee to run for the door. She did so and panted as she reached Jean.

" Shh, come on, baby… you're safe… nothing's gonna hurt you," he shushed, guiding Rogue's body into his arms as she slowly floated back down towards the bed.

*Thank You, Scott *

He smiled at the woman in his arms. " Your welcome, baby."

=========================================

Logan growled in frustration as the rest of the X-men, including him, waited for the results. Scott had managed to calm his Marie. But… she hadn't accepted **his** help?

"Quit pacing, Logan," Jean said tiredly. " You're making me sea sick."

Logan growled at the woman, and continued pacing. Scott was inside with the Professor discussing what had happened.

'I know what happened' he thought. 'Marie refused me… and… allowed one-eye to help her' 

Jean watched as the feral man snarled and growled. He was projecting, and Jean knew what he was thinking. Scott had been able to aid Rogue in her confusion, but somehow Rogue didn't trust Logan enough to let him in.

She replayed the scene in her head millions of times. Pain coursing through her veins as she remembered what Scott had called Rogue, how he touched her.

Scott was never that gentle with her. When she had a broken ankle a few years back, sure he was nice… but he never held her the way he held Rogue.

There was something in that touch that made Jean accept her place in Scott's heart. Jean was not his type, she was there and Scott was a child. Now she knew who she was. She was second best.

Gazing back at Logan, she chuckled bitterly at her mistakes. She had flirted so many times before him, but… Logan was just hard to resist. She had promised Scott that she would stop flirting with the males and had kept her promise… until Logan came.

But now, as she looked at him, she knew he was way out of her league. He had a one-track mind, and a one-track heart. He wanted Rogue as much as she now wanted Scott. Oh, how her life became a soap opera!

====================================

" It's quite a development really," Xavier explained to Scott. " If Rogue is in fact a telepath, as well as a telekinetic… then it explains her dilemma!"

Scott sat on the edge of the couch and shook his head. 

" She reacted as Jean did a few years back, when she lost control of her powers. Making it hard for her, releasing the Phoenix within," Scott said. " But, something must have triggered it… and why didn't you or Jean sense it?"

Xavier wheeled around until he faced Scott. 

" It could be possible that her mind is far more complex than we had already thought," he said thoughtfully. " Once she recovers, Dr. McCoy has a few tests he would like to run on her."

" McCoy?" Scott asked. " You mean our new recruit? Beast?"

Xavier nodded. " He had arrived no sooner than Rogue had her little 'freak out' as Logan so bluntly puts it."

Scott sighed. " So when are we starting the actual 'control' part of her training?"

Xavier takes his place back behind his desk and sighs. " I'm afraid, until we find out the source of the pain she gets every time she tries and erase a memory, we cannot risk her losing control."

====================================

Jubilee watched Rogue warily. She had been asleep for more than six hours now, and she feared her friend may be in a coma. However, the new doctor had informed her otherwise.

"Dr. McCoy," Jubilee started, getting the furry blue man to turn around. " How is she?"

The man straightened himself out and Jubilee found herself staring at a man taller than the Wolverine. He shook his furry head and shrugged.

" Well, my dear," he said gently. Jubilee liked Dr. McCoy, he was like a comforting aura, like a grandpa in a way. " She's physically stable, but mentally…"

He pointed towards the beeping machine beside her. " This machine can help us see her brain waves, to see its activity. These series of lines indicates a slight problem. A normal brain wave patter is steady… and compared to Rogue's…"

Jubilee blinked away her tears. Rogue's mind was a jumble. Her brain waves were close together, like a seismometer when it detects an earthquake.

"But, think of it this way, at least its not a flat line…" he said. 

Jubilee nodded hesitantly. 

"Don't worry to much, Ms. Lee. Come now, I do believe its time for tea."

****

==============================

Author's Note: you like? Anyway, If by the end of the month, Rogue ends up with the person you did not want her to end up with, don't be P.Oed. I have a lot planned for either two. ^-^ I just love em both! I have no clue as to what that thingy is called… the thing that tells you of your brain activity, like the ones hooked onto people in a coma. 


	10. News: The Impact on Logan

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Again, thank you for all the votes, and I hope that you guys are enjoying this so far! And sorry for all you people who think I'm making Logan… too much of a bad guy, I've been trying hard to make him like himself… but not, and I'm kinda screwing it up, but bear with me. He'll get his fluff with Marie. It makes it more interesting when both guys are sweet on her…^-^

Votes so far:

Scott: 60

Logan: 45

The votes might be wrong, Lycos shut down on me, taking the recent votes… hopefully hotmail won't do the same.

=====================================

Scott made his way into the Medlab and found Marie on one of the beds. She had so many wires connected to her that she looked as if she was dying. That thought made Scott nauseous, as he sat down beside her. Taking one of her hands in his, he stroked her bare knuckles with his thumb.

" When you get better, Marie… you and I are going to work on your control…" he whispered.

"Not bloody likely," Logan growled as he came from the shadows. Scott stood up, gently placing Marie's hand on her stomach.

Logan growled and walked towards Marie, and stroked her cheek. " Damn it Scooter, why are you doing this?"

Scott stepped back in shock. Logan had never sounded so helpless before. As Scott examined the man closer, he saw the sadness radiating from his eyes.

" Marie… don't you trust me?" he heard Logan whisper as he knelt down to kiss her cheek. "Why did you push me away?"

Scott stared as Logan kept talking to Marie as if he weren't even there. Logan stoked Marie's arm and kissed the back of her hand as he sat beside her. Scott turned around and found Jean leaning on the doorway, gazing at her sadly.

" Come on Scott, its best you leave them alone," Jean said, playing on words. 

Scott's expression tightened and shook his head.

" Not without a fight," he said. " She deserves better. Even he agrees."

================================

Marie was cold. Everywhere she turned, it was dark. She heard so many screams, so much pain. So many tests… her brain hurt from having absorbed too much. She saw men carrying her towards a table, placing something in her.

'Am I in Logan's dream?' she wondered. Then, she saw her reflection on the mirror. Her hair was still auburn, no platinum in them, she was wearing some sort of a collar, and the men… surgeons… they were operating on… her?

'Where am I?' she thought, panicking. She felt the pain again, starting from the back of her neck and coursing through her body. Then, nothing… she was suddenly being carried towards a cell of some kind. There was nothing there but a metal bed with a thin sheet of fabric.

Someone else was with her, another woman. She had long blond hair and blue eyes, and had a similar collar attached to her neck. She seemed forlorn, but something in her eyes told Marie that she was accepting her fate.

'What?' she wondered.

Suddenly, she felt the pain once more, the more she backed away from the woman, and more evident the pain was. Slowly, she inched towards the blond and the pain was slowly dulling. 

" Hold my hand. It'll ease the pain," the woman said.

Marie looked down at her hands and found that she had no gloves on. To think of it, Marie wasn't wearing any clothes and neither did the woman.

" Its what they want you to do," the woman begged. "They'll let you and me go if you just hold my hand…"

The pain came back, and Marie shook her head, biting her lip from the pain. She refused to take anything from the woman, not her powers, not her life. Nothing!

Marie held back a sob as the woman dove for her, grabbing her shoulders. No matter how much Marie fought the blond, she held on. The woman was quickly turning purple, and the veins in her body were visible on her skin.

"No…" she sobbed, as the woman lay limp on the cold, damp floor. Men came inside and took the woman away as soon as she had fallen. 

Marie had expected someone to start talking to her soon, but nothing came. Her mind was empty, she discovered. No residue of the previous people she had absorbed. Nothing was there. Then, her surroundings shifted, she was back in the school, in her bed. Jubilee and Kitty were fast asleep in their own beds.

~ Come back little Rogue… we've got plans for you ~

Marie clutched her head and screamed.

=======================================

Logan woke up, hearing Marie scream. He knew it was a bad idea to remove her from the Medlab, but no one paid any attention to him. He ran towards her room and found her roommates trying to calm her down.

" No!" Marie sobbed, she was scratching at her arms, and Kitty was crying as she tried to talk to her.

Logan held Marie in his arms. "Hush, darlin'… its just me…" he whispered. He felt helpless, not knowing what was wrong with her.

Marie slowly began to quiet down. She looked up from his bare chest and sniffled a small thank you. She blinked a few times and smiled softly.

" What happened?" he asked.

Jubilee watched in anger as Logan stroked Marie's hair. Kitty held her back and shook her head. " Rogue needs him right now… as much as you and I don't approve… "

Jubilee sighed and nodded. 

" I dunno," Marie said. " I…I remember Jubes was going on and on about the meaning of having dog tags. Then… I felt this hot pain coming from my neck…"

Logan felt a lump in his throat as he asked her to turn around. He brushed of her long hair and held back his anger as he saw a scar. It was as if there had been something planted in her, much like something had been placed in his leg before he escaped from Alkali Lake. He had removed it himself and found that life had been less painful after that.

"What is it?" Jubilee asked. " What?"

"It's some kind of a locator… back-" Logan stopped and sighed. " 15 years back… I found one surgically attached to my leg. I had ripped it out and I never felt better… but… fuck…"

Kitty took a look at it and gasped. " It's on her neck… on her SPINE?!"

================================================

Times like these made Xavier sympathetic towards Eric Lensherr. So many things that humans' hands have done towards fellow man…

Logan had called a meeting with the X-Men, both seniors and juniors. Ororo, Storm, Munroe was seated beside Xavier and Jean Grey. Scott was leaning by the door, wary of the news. Bobby sat beside Jubilee and Rogue, still sleepy and confused. Kitty was a wreck; she hadn't stopped crying since they had found out about the implant in Rogue's spine.

"Maybe it was put there for a medical reason," Rogue reasoned quietly. 

"No darlin'… trust me, it wasn't for no medical reason," he said darkly. " Those bastards placed that on you, to keep track of you…"

Rogue looked at him with confusion. 

"But, you met me just months after I had been thrown out of my house," she said. " How could I have been placed in a lab and experimented on?"

The room fell silent. Jean looked on sadly. Wondering how it was possible.

" Look darlin'… I don't know… but what I do know is," Logan started. " That scar looks about ten to eleven years before."

"Is it possible that your mutation was already there when you were seven or eight?" Jean asked. 

Rogue shook her head. " No, my parents never said nothing, and I touched people fine."

" Professor, could it be possible that Rogue is not as young as we think?" 

The group all stared at the doctor. He cleared his throat and fixed his glasses as he continued. " It is just a theory, but that mechanism surgically implanted on her spine could be the reason why her mutation cannot be controlled, and it is also a possibility that it erased her memories of being experimented on."

Rogue shook her head, denying everything, chanting in her head. " My name is Marie, I am eighteen, I was born in Mississippi, I just finished High-"

She stopped talking and blinked. She had kissed Cody on her eighteenth birthday; she had just finished High School and was on her way to Yale… then… 

" I…" she stammered. Clutching her head as the pain came back. 

"Marie!"

Both Logan and Scott dove for her as she fell from her seat. Logan got to her before Scott, growling as he even inched closer.

" Look, Logan. Marie is in pain. I want to help her. Last time she barely listened to you!" Scott said angrily. 

Logan snarled in anger, but gently placed Rogue into Scott's arms. He heard him whisper softly in her ear, calming her down. To the rest of the group, they were oblivious to the words of endearment being spoken to the girl. But to Logan, Scott may just as well be screaming it in his ears.

" Baby, come on… talk to me," Scott coaxed, stroking her hair.

Rogue saw flashes of her nightmares in front of her eyes. 'The cell, the woman, she was real' Rogue thought. The pain on her neck dulled, but it was still there. As she fought to remember more, the pain became unbearable. Finally, she remembered one thing…

" I'm not eighteen, Scott…" she whispered, tears glistening as they fell. " I'm 28…"

=======================================

Dr. McCoy had placed Rogue back into the Med.-Lab and the meeting had continued. Kitty, Bobby and Jubilee had volunteered to stay with Rogue as she slept.

Xavier felt his dinner rising up towards his throat as he thought of the experiments done on Logan, being done in Rogue. He felt anger well up inside him. He had considered everyone in the school as his children, but Rogue struck him as much more than that. He felt connected to her, like she truly **was** his daughter.

Logan was in tears. He didn't care whom saw, or what they thought. His emotions were loose, and he was angry and confused. Never had he thought of Marie, being a victim of the government. Every fiber in her had been too innocent. His claws were unsheathed, tearing three holes in the floor. Logan didn't mind now that the government had taken his memories.

What Logan minded, was that they had taken hers.

He wondered how he could have missed it. The experience aging her mind, the truth concealed behind her brown eyes. He should have seen it, he should have seen the signs. He heard the Professor clear his throat. 

"Let's investigate this matter tomorrow…" he started. " We should let this information… sink in."

==============================================

****

Author's Note: Hey all! Thanks for the reviews! And for the votes! I've been doing my research, hopefully lessening the deaths in my story… Did you guys know that Carol Danvers doesn't actually die?! If you did: why didn't you tell me sooner? Could've saved me all the worry…


	11. News: The Impact on Xavier

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The Rogue

Author's Note: Okay, so maybe I'm making an AU kind of fic… but its based on the X-Men… and besides, I've got plans for Rogue in X-Men: Evo… besides, I can't make a fic based on the actual comix.

Votes so far:

Scott: 66

Logan: 55

=================================

Marie woke up in the Med.-bay, staring at the white ceiling. She groaned as she tried to sit up, pulling some of the tubes and needles in her arms. She let her vision clear and found Jubilee, Kitty and Bobby asleep on the couches outside the room. Willing her legs to move farther, she reached the closet and took off the skimpy hospital gown. Placing her own clothes back on, she decided to take a stroll.

Every muscle in her body was disagreeing with her. She felt weak and was about to fall. Some parts of her were numb, and some were just too sensitive.

" Marie, darlin' what are you doin' out of bed?" Logan asked, shocked to find the frail woman stumbling in the hallway.

Marie looked up, surprised to see Logan's concerned expression. Her throat feeling scratchy and parched, she couldn't reply to his question, but instead, she shrugged.

" Come on, let's get you something to eat," he sighed softly, wondering how a woman could make him do such things.

Marie smiled at him, and nodded slowly. Logan gently carried her, bridal style, towards his bedroom. He saw the puzzled look on her face and he grinned.

" Breakfast in bed. Comfy, don't you think?" 

Marie blushed as he flashed her one of his heart-melting smiles. The ones usually reserved for Jean, or so she thought.

As he laid her down on his bed, he opened his hand and revealed his tags. She looked up at him as he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.

" Well, uh, I found this… when you were uh, floatin'," he said, placing in on her. " You know… it looks good on ya."

Marie blushed and looked at the sheets of his bed. 

" I'll, uh, get you that breakfast," he said.

Marie nodded and smiled at him thankfully, barely noticing the slight redness of his face. 'How cute… I made him blush!' she thought happily.

*I take it back. Maybe he does like you *

Marie smiled triumphantly and sighed. *Thank you, Cody *

============================================

Scott sat in the library for hours. He had no clue what to do, he checked Rogue's address and apparently, the house had been sold ten years ago, and they sent no forwarding address. That alone proved that Rogue did not just have a nightmare. That freak-out was the result of some kind of an experiment that had been done to her, and the contraption on her neck was a tracking device.

He did his best to track Rogue's parents but all signs say that they had just up and left without a word. Not even her relatives knew where they were. Sighing, Scott took a sip of his coffee and went back to the books. 

Xavier had told them to rest, but Scott could not just stomach the idea of sleeping while Marie was missing ten years of her life!

*Logan's missing all of his life, save for the fifteen he's lived free, why not help him uncover his secrets? *

Scott turned around and found Jean standing by the doorway in her nightgown and fuzzy bunny slippers. She walked towards him and refilled his cup of coffee.

" I don't like Logan," Scott said, looking at Jean, his words having double meaning. 

Jean sat down with him and sighed. " Look Scott. I know I've messed up, but… can we at least be friends?"

Scott turned in his chair and looked at Jean incredulously. " Jean, we've always been friends."

The silence that came after was too loud for Jean to bear, clearing her throat she looked at the books that were sprawled around his desk.

"What are these?" she asked.

" Every book known to man about the spine. Dr. McCoy said he would read them to see whether or not he could gather relevant information from them," Scott yawned. " He somehow thinks that maybe that thing on Marie could be what's keeping her mutation constantly 'on'."

Jean nodded. " It could be…" she said sadly. " Anyway, I just came with a refill. I'll see you downstairs."

Scott barely noticed as he continued on with his reading. Jean sighed as she leaned by the doorway. Taking one last glance at the man she loved, she let her tears fall freely and left the library.

=========================================

Jubilee woke up with a start as she found Rogue's bed empty. Stumbling, she woke Bobby and Kitty by slapped them hard. Panicking, they started power walking towards the cafeteria. 

" Shouldn't we like, tell the Professor?" Kitty asked, biting her fingernails. She had acquired the habit when her mutation had kicked in.

"And risk giving him a heart attack?" Bobby asked in reply. " We all know that the Professor thinks of Rogue as his daughter!"

" Why is that, by the way?" Kitty asked, their panic temporarily forgotten.

" He thinks of us as his children. We're important to him," Jubilee said as she searched the rooms they passed. " But, he thinks of Rogue as his own flesh and blood since she absorbed most of Magneto, and she's the only one other than Storm who actually includes him in things."

Jubilee's companions said a small 'oh' and continued on with their search. As they all sped down the hallway, they didn't see Logan appear around the corner.

" Slow down there, y'might accidentally bruise something," he joked.

Bobby glared at the intimidating man and frantically searched the cafeteria for Rogue. He hated Logan, just as much or maybe more so than Jubilee hated him. Everyone in the mansion knew that Rogue was in love with Logan, but what they didn't know was that Bobby was in love with Rogue. But after months of seeing her fade away to almost nothing, he became more of her brother-figure than her boyfriend. 

Bobby had to face the hard truth and started dating Jubilee. After Jean Grey had kissed him, Scott had suddenly become her support. He had watched from afar as the two began to hold to each other, supporting each other until they were both standing on their own. 

Jubilee saw the glare Bobby gave Logan, and she placed her hand on his shoulder. Kitty was still searching frantically, catching Logan's attention.

"Who're you lookin' for?" he asked gruffly. Kitty looked at Logan and noticed the tray he had in his hands. She noticed that most of the food on the tray was Rogue's favorite. Though Rogue hadn't spent that much time in their room, both Kitty and Jubilee knew her more than most people.

" Rogue," she replied. "Where are you taking that? I didn't know the Wolverine liked Salad."

Logan growled and leaned down towards her, making her back away with fear. He smirked as he smelled the fear on Kitty. 

" Marie's with me. I'm takin' these to her," he said as he backed off, giving her a wink as he walked up the stairs, leaving the three teens dumbfounded.

===========================================

Xavier couldn't hold back his tears. No wonder her mind was so closed off, he thought sadly as he wheeled himself towards the window. Rogue had always been special to him, ever since she had arrived at the mansion, he felt something towards the young woman.

There was innocence braided in her very being. He was amazed at how innocent she was, considering her predicament with her skin and her parents. After the discoveries of yesterday, Xavier felt weak at how caring she still was.

He turned on his laptop and clicked on a few files. A photo of Rogue when she had first arrived popped up. Xavier smiled as he looked at her, a shadow of a smile on her face. He clenched his fist as he recalled Dr. McCoy's theories. 

__

"So, you say that contraption can control her mutation?" he asked the furry doctor. 

Hank nodded as he pulled out an X-ray of Rogue's neck. He took out a metal pointer and circled the metal object on her neck.

" See, when we are afraid, our brain sends out a series of hormones which in turn lets our instincts out. In a normal human's case; that would be to run and find something to keep you safe. In mutant's cases, our mutation kicks in," he explains. " The transmitter on Rogue is connected to her spine, as well as her brain. The machine has somehow tapped into her nervous system and has her 'locked' in 'defense' mode."

Xavier looked on and urged the doctor to continue. Scott sat quietly beside him, absorbing all the information in.

" So, can't we just take it out?" Scott asked. " Rogue could control her mutation then, right?"

Hank shook his head. " I'm afraid it's not that simple."

" That transmitter has been blocking out ten years worth of memories, taking it out would just make Rogue have waves of memories, making it possible for her to get amnesia," he said. " Another thing would be, that we could damage her nerves permanently."

Xavier sighed, wiping the sweat off his brow. " Why should it be causing her pain now?"

" Well, I've seen models like these before," Hank said slowly. " There could be numerous explanations but there are two big possibilities in Rogue's case. One: that Rogue never thought of the past that explicitly before now… and two…"

"Two?" Scott urged.

" Her captors are nearby."

Xavier couldn't let his daughter get caught. No… he thought. He wouldn't, it would be over his dead body that Rogue be taken once more. 

========================================

"Sir? We have located the Rogue's signal." 

"Good. What area?"

"New York, sir."

" Good job. Inform the General, we'll be on our way first thing."

========================================

****

Author's Note: Okay, I've tried my best to make Logan lovey-dovey. It won't be easy, since I still want him rugged and rough. Scott? He's just mean cuz he cares and is freaked.


	12. A Little Insight On Cyclops

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Okay, since it's becoming really heated, I am no longer going to show the votes, but you'll find out, sooner or later. 

=============================

Marie sat underneath a huge oak tree, hidden in the shade as Logan worked on his 'new' Ford truck. Ever since she stumbled into him, he wouldn't let her out of his sight. She had to admit to herself that she loved every minute of him being overprotective, but she had things to do.

He barely even spoke to her, nothing more than 'you feelin' fine?' or 'you hungry?' Not that she minded, she knew that he wasn't a man of words, but she was getting testy in the heat. 

" Logan?" 

He grunted and turned around. Marie felt a little flustered as she saw him bare-chest, and walking towards her. Logan sensed her tense and grinned amusedly. 

"What is it darlin'?" he asked. He had stopped calling her kid as soon as he had arrived, the words fitting as soon as it left his lips.

" I need to talk to Scott," she whispered, knowing it would make him mad. 

Logan tensed and looked at her brown eyes once more. He had kept her form her friends since she had woken up, and he knew it was selfish of him… but he just wanted to be near her. 

" I'm not going anywhere, Logan," she assured, knowing what he was thinking. " I always go to Scott in the morning… its like a tradition ever since…"

Logan nodded. " I understand, darlin'… its just…" he sighed and gave up. He turned around, and propped himself up on his ford. He felt her gloved hand on his arm, and he faced her.

She smiled at him and leaned her head on his arm. He inhaled her scent and imprinted her feel against him. He stared at her longingly as she walked off towards the mansion. Towards Scott's room. 

================================

Scott had given up his reading and had made his way towards the gym. After being told that Marie had been 'taken' by Logan, he suspected that she would be spending more time with the Canadian man.

As he laid down on the bench press, he began to wonder how he could help Marie. Scott had no idea what it felt like to have lost ten years, not even remembering anything from it. Although, he held pride in her that she still held onto her innocence and still held onto hope even after she found out about the discovery.

Scott placed the weights back on the rest and wiped the sweat off his brow. There was no denying it, the first time Scott had seen Marie… she was the most timid, shy woman covered from head to toe. She was so frail he just could not help but want to protect her from anything. Then, he saw her eyes. He had denied every bit of it, but her eyes touched his heart more than Jean ever did. 

Everything about Marie glowed, and when Scott had made eye contact with her, he saw an endless light of hope and love. The night Logan had impaled her with his claws, he felt anger take over his body. He had wanted to kill Logan right then and there. No one knew that he followed Marie from her room towards Logan's, Jean thought it was just his nightly rounds around the mansion. No one suspected anything…

No one knew of his feelings for the Southern Belle. Over time, he buried his feelings deep in his mind, chanting ' I love Jean' in his mind over and over; it worked for a while… until she got caught and all hell broke loose.

" Scott!"

Scott turned towards the woman who burst in gasping for breath. He cursed silently at himself for losing himself in his own thoughts. His eyes wandered over Rogue's body as she slowly made her way towards him.

He swallowed the lump in his throat as his eyes skimmed over her well-toned body. Scott had gotten to know Rogue over the months and cherished his time with her. But every morning as she exercised with him, he'd imprint her picture in his mind.

'Should I take Jubilee's advice? Should I just go for it?' he wondered, looking back at her… he suddenly had a thought. 'She deserves the world'

The 'over-protective' role that he had been, nearly 8 months ago had now changed into a sudden 'over-possessive' role. 

Rogue had decided to wear the white running shoes he had bought her just last week, as well as her green training uniform but also wore a loose white shirt over it. Her hair was up in a tight bun, leaving the two platinum streaks to fall freely, framing her face.

" Hey baby. What's wrong?" Scott asked.

Rogue smiled sweetly and tried to catch her breath. She sat down next to him and placed her gloved hand on his leg.

" I went to your room for our daily 'training' an' you weren't there," she pouted cutely.

Scott laughed and shrugged. " I thought you'd be with Logan."

"I was, but as much as I **love** to check out his ass, I wouldn't want ya to be too lonely," she teased as she stood and placed her hands on her hips. " 'Sides… you're getting flabby."

Scott stared at her with his mouth agape and tried to feign hurt. Seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes, Marie backed away slowly, smiling slightly.

"N-now, now Sug… last time y'had t'stay at th'garage, remember?" she stammered, trying to keep calm. " 'Cuz I couldn't lift your sagging butt!"

" Sagging?! Flabby?" Scott asked dangerously.

" D-did I say Flabby?" Rogue asked innocently. " I meant FAT!"

She went into a full run and Scott was right behind her. The hallways had cleared as soon as they heard Rogue squeal. The whole mansion was used to Scott and Rogue. After months of getting used to them acting like children, they had begun to yearn for the taste of hope and innocence. They knew everything was all right when they were their usual happy selves.

Everyone in the mansion had either pitied or sympathized with Rogue and Scott. They were the only ones in the school that they felt/thought could not or would not be able to control their powers. They had not had the taste of normalcy in years, and seeing them run around like a bunch of kids made them hope again.

Many thought of Scott and Jean's break up as a great thing for Rogue and Scott. Many thought that it was great of Rogue to help cheer Scott through the heartache. None of them knew that Scott had secretly wished to find some way to break off from Jean.

=========================================

" What the Hell is going on here?" Logan asked as he heard a huge commotion in the gardens. He stopped dead in his tracks as he found Scott and Marie in a mock hand to hand combat.

" Oh the normal," Jubilee gloated. " Scott and Rogue are sparring. Who's going to win today? Any bets?"

A huge roar of answers came as soon as the word 'bet' left her mouth. Logan growled in frustration as he watched the two spar. They weren't even aware they had an audience, which made Logan quite proud of Marie. 

He watched as she gracefully matched Scott's attacks blow by blow. Then, without warning, her attacks were more precise, more deadly. It was a side of her that neither Logan nor Scott had seen before.

" Baby, I think we should stop for today," Scott whispered as he managed to catch her in a tight hold behind her back.

Slowly, Marie nodded and shook her head. Confusion was clear in her eyes, and she followed Scott towards the mansion.

Logan stared at the two as they walked side by side, barely touching each other. He turned around and was faced by a grinning Jubilee.

" Face it, Wolvie. She's not the same 'kid' you left," she said, her voice low and cold. 

' I should have a talk with that kid' Logan thought as Jubilee followed her friends towards the field.

===============================

" Professor, I understand you wish to help the girl," said the blue man, named Henry McCoy. " -But… there are just too many things to think about!"

" Hank, I appreciate your concern for Rogue, but I feel like she in my own daughter. You have to understand-" Xavier said sadly. " I do not like to feel helpless when I know I can do something to help!"

Jean sat on the couch listening as the two men argued about the best solution to Rogue's problems. She had been jealous of the girl once, but after a few months of getting to know her… Jean had to admit Rogue was a fine woman. Most of the males that she had been 'stringing along' were now infatuated with the 'untouchable'. 

But something about Rogue had calmed the rage in Jean. Rogue was someone she could talk to, someone she could relate to… Storm as well as her was quite astounded at how mature Rogue was…

' No wonder… she **is** and adult…' Jean thought. It bothered her that Rogue lost most of her life, but it didn't amaze her that she was. 

" What if… what if she manages to reverse the process?" Jean asked, getting the men's attention.

" Pardon?" Hank asked.

" Well, you said that thing on her neck has somehow been sending some kind of signal to her body to keep her mutation 'on'," she explained. " Why not try to overload it?"

Xavier nodded in thought. " That could be possible… we can fry the device and surgically remove it…"

" But that brings up the memory dilemma," Hank sighed. " If we merely just take it out… it may overload her brain with ten year's worth of experiments."

Jean sighed. They weren't getting any closer to the answers. She prayed that Scott could think of something. As much as she was bitter at Rogue, Jean considered Rogue to be her sister. And right now, Rogue needs her family… not a green-eyed monster.

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Author's Note: you like? No? too bad… lol j/k! seriously though, if you think the story's too far fetched, then tell me. At least I can sway it back to somewhere remotely close to reality. Thanks a lot! Keep voting!


	13. Area 42

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The Rogue

Author's Note: hey, thanks for the votes! Hope you enjoy the next chapter! I've tallied up the votes and found that Scott won pretty much 72-64. I guess its better this way: at least it'll be more original. I'll try Marie/Logan on my next fics. Until then, I hope this will do.

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Genetics Mutation Forensic Research Lab; Codename: Area 42 

It was a warm sunny day in Mississippi. Spring was always as warm as summer and it was almost as humid. General Austwit stood proudly in the control room of the Western Wing of the Underground facilities.

" General, the signal is back online."

The gruff looking man, about mid-forties stepped forwards. He took his place beside the sitting soldier and looked over his shoulders towards the small screen.

" Where is the signal now, Jhonson?" he asked.

" Still in New York, sir; but it appears as though its on high ground. A building, possibly," the spectacled man replied.

" Good work. Keep at it, inform me of any changes."

Suddenly, the transparent sliding doors slid open, and out stepped a heavily guarded man. He wore a black suit and had short brown hair and blue eyes.

" Dr. DeVillago, the signal has shown itself once again, all systems are prepared to go," General Austwit said as he saluted the man.

"Good job, General. We must retrieve project 147 immediately," he said. " Call Dr. Kophman, tell him to prepare 624 once you locate 147."

The general saluted and immediately went to work. The suited man, Samuel DeVillago was a rich and respected scientist, currently running for Mayor in the small Cadlecott County. He had worked hard and long to perfect the perfect mutant weapon. 

He sat at one of the chairs overlooking the entire room and began to observe the screens. Then, the alarms went off, informing the team of trouble.

" General, what is going on?" DeVillago asked.

" Its 147, sir," he replied. " She's trying to over-ride the memory blocking device we placed on her. I'm afraid it may be working."

DeVillago stood and nodded at the General. He began to walk out of the room, with the General not far behind. One of his bodyguards gave him a phone as he snapped his finger.

" Karen? Get me the original team from project 147: The Rogue. Tell them to meet in the conference room at Area 42 in 30 minutes," he ordered.

General Austwit eyed the doctor warily and cleared his throat as they reached the elevator.

" If I may, sir? What exactly are you planning?" he asked.

DeVillago faced the military officer and gave him the cellular phone. 

" I'm going to prepare the team. Once we retrieve our elusive rogue, we can continue the project once again," he said. " I want you to call Karen and tell her to prepare a plane to retrieve Mr. Phillip Nate. I believe he was one of our telepathic officers."

" But sir, we don't exactly know where 147's location is," General Austwit said. 

" That is why we're having the conference. We shall figure out where she is soon," he said as the elevator stopped. He took off his jacket and placed it on one of the coat racks. " Dismissed, General. Go get 624. Bring him to us in a while."

" But sir-" General Austwit started. " The signal-"

DeVillago took his lab coat and put it on, cutting off the General before he finished his sentence. " We programmed the TAG device to 'malfunction' once she reached a point where she is able to control her powers, somewhat. It will be useless in two weeks. We need to find that device now!"

" You… planned it go like this?" the General asked, awed at his words.

" We didn't have the funds 8 months ago," DeVillago explained as he took a seat. " I was all we could do."

The General stood still, not caring that a team of scientists was taking their seat at the oval table. He sighed and eyed the large projection screen that hung before the table.

" The secretary of Defense won't take a liking to this," the General warned.

DeVillago laughed and wiped a fake tear from his eyes. " General, the Secretary of Defense has kept Area 51 a secret and has been funding it for years. What makes you think that our new provider isn't the one and only?"

The General stood, in shock at what he had just heard. He nodded and held onto the phone. He stepped out of the room and began to make calls.

================================================

In the conference room, the team was assembled and DeVillago was just about ready to debrief his team. He turned on the large screen and the buzzing of conversation dulled to nit.

" Sir, what… what is this?" one of the female doctors asked. " I thought project 147 was aborted months ago."

" Well, Dr. Stevenson," he replied. " It seems our provider wants us to continue the project."

" Mein Gott! Vhat are ve to do?" the stout German professor asked. " If ze mutant find out about ze lab, zhey might plan to strike Area 42!"

" That, Professor Krauss, is the reason why we have to retrieve project 147 immediately," he explained. " We have to bring her back here before she recalls the location of our labs."

" Well, how we retrieve 147?" asked a small Asian woman, her English slightly rusty from the long lack of use. 

" Oui, et avec quoi?" a french scientist asked.

" Not what, mon ami," said DeVillago. " Who"

He placed a disc inside the small computer and the projector screen immediately showed the data inside. A photo beside a report of information showed up. It was a young boy by the name Richard, codename: Hypno. He had hazel eyes and brown hair, and a sweet smile that made him quite adorable.

" Project 624," DeVillago said. " Hypno."

" Project Hypno?" Dr. Stevenson asked. " He's only a child!"

DeVillago looked at the frantic woman and nodded. " Yes, but he's a child immune to the Rogue's powers."

He pressed a button on the computer and the screen instantly changed to a small picture of the boy's anatomy.

" We can place a bug on him, enabling us to listen in on their conversations. Then, we locate both 624 and 147," he said. 

" Brilliant, but…how do we send him in the first place?" asked one of the Italian scientists.

" The GPS satellites," DeVillago said. " We can hack into the satellite, find the frequency on 147's TAG device and locate her precise coordinates. Bring the child to her, and we bring them both back."

The team nodded and began to think of ideas on what to do once the mutant would arrive.

" Sir, I couldn't help but over hear your conversation with General Austwit. Why was it necessary to call Officer Nate?" an elderly woman asked. 

" He's a telepath," DeVillago replied curtly. "We need someone to 'aid' her as she unlocks her past. Afterall, it won't do us any good sending 624 if she doesn't remember her own child."

===========================================

Logan growled as he entered the hallway towards the student's dorms. He made his way towards Rogue's room, knowing that she stayed with the human 'caution' sign. He didn't bother knocking as he opened the door. With his heightened senses, he knew she was making out with her boyfriend, but the Wolverine wasn't really bothered by the scene nor was he embarrassed by his actions.

" Do you mind?" Jubilee fumed, flustered and blushing as the Canadian made his way to Rogue's bed.

Bobby glared at the feral man and kissed Jubilee's cheek, making his way out of the room. " I'll see you at dinner Jubes," he said winking, despite the impatient man in the room.

" Okay," she replied, glaring at Logan who was now comfortably sitting on Rogue's bed, eyeing the room and its décor.

"Now," she started. " What was going through your thick head? What was **so** damn important that you had to interrupt a **FINE** moment?"

Logan brushed off Jubilee's cold look of hatred and cleared his throat. He had no idea how to ask Jubilee such stupid questions that the Wolverine would never bother to ask.

" Why the hell do you hate me so much?" 

Jubilee stared at the man, not believing how dense he was. She blinked and scoffed. 'Men' she thought. 'So…stupid'

"Why…" she stated. " I'll tell you why! You hurt Rogue! She's very close to me! One of my best friends, and you turned her into a… a… dog on a leash!"

Logan was almost thrown back by the force of her words, but he sat silently, urging her to go on.

" You left her broken-hearted! She loved you! And you left us to clean up the pieces! And now that everyone's going okay… you come and wreck things again!"

She stood up and took out a recent photo of the X-Men at a picnic. Rogue was at the side, fingering his dog tags, looking lonely and lost. 

"This was taken not too far back," she seethed. " We tried so hard… we tried everything! Eventually, Scott brought her back to the living and you have the audacity to ask why I hate you?"

Logan shook his head and denied everything she said in his head. He stared at the album, three months' worth of memories all in photos. They were mostly filled with happy faces, but one face always stood out. His Marie. As the dates became more recent, the paler she became, until halfway through the third month. She began to have life in her eyes again.

Jubilee found one photo of Rogue that Bobby had secretly taken of her.

" See this?" she asked showing Logan the photo." One month after you left."

The photo sent chills down his spine. It was a photo taken during the junior/senior Valentines' dance. They day he had found out about a lead and decided not to visit. She looked beautiful, despite her abnormally thin body.

Logan knew it was tough on the road, not eating regularly. He knew it would have taken her a while before her system grew accustomed to having three meals a day.

" So?" Logan asked. " She looks fine, considering it was only one month after I found her."

Jubilee sighed and flipped a page of the album. There was a different picture. This time, the X-Men were swimming, but Rogue was just sitting in the sides; this time with Scott. 

" This was taken about two weeks later," Jubilee said softly. " Mr. Summers noticed how thin she kept getting and decided to do something about it."

" She cried a lot too," she continued, remembering nights that Rogue would whimper and slip out of the mansion to vent out her sorrows in the forest.

Logan growled angrily and was about to say something when Jubilee cut him off. " She always got nightmares." He looked at the girl and blinked. 

"Nightmares?" he choked out.

" Yeah, she said once sometimes she would get yours and she would go off to your room, because the 'Logan' in her head felt more comfortable in somewhere familiar…" Jubilee started. " Sometimes, she would get her own, and it was too much for your room. But Mr. Summers always managed to calm her down."

" Her own?" Logan asked. " What do you mean by that?"

"I figure, she knew subconsciously about her being experimented on…Her nightmares…" Jubilee replied sadly. " Only Mr. Summers could bring her back. She'd only cry and scream in your room…"

After a moment of silence, Logan began to stand up. Jubilee placed the album back in her drawers and stopped Logan before he left.

" Rogue's better now Wolvie, thanks to Cyclops," she said, reverting back to the teenager Logan was used to hearing. " Jean and Cyke's breakup… in my opinion did Cyclops and Rogue some good."

"What're you getting at?" Logan growled. 'Are you sayin' that I should back off?' he thought angrily.

" Don't mess with it Wolvie," she warned. " You ran. Give someone else a chance to make Rogue happy."

Logan spun around and pinned Jubilee to the wall, much like he did with Kitty earlier that day. 

" Look flash! I know I'm not much compared to tight-ass with his education and shit," Logan spat. " But I know I love Marie and I made her a promise that I'd protect her! Now that I'm here, by God I will hold up to that promise!"

Jubilee shivered as she stared at the man. Her voice not working as the full meaning of his words reached her brain. 

" Y-you love Rogue?" she asked. " Then… why leave her?"

"I-" he sighed. " She thought she was 17, she told me she was 17. That would be wrong…Me, a dirty old man, who barely even knows of his past…. And her… that innocent angel. I had to let her grow and experience life. But-"

" You didn't know how much of life she's already experienced…" Jubilee finished, finally understanding some part of the Canadian mutant. " I didn't know… you sure have a funny way of showing it…"

Logan sighed and made his way out the door, but not before he heard Jubilee sigh and tell him where he could find his beloved Southern Belle.

" The roof… she always goes to the roof…"

' I'll make it right Marie… just you watch…' he thought. With that, he made his way towards the stairs leading towards the roof.

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Author's Note: that was quite a lot of information to digest, wasn't it? Hope it was good! It'll make sense once the following chapters come up. 


	14. Chats On The Roof

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The Rogue

Author's Note: hey, sorry for the delay, I hadn't quite expected there to be such a long list of complications and gateway timeouts for ff.net… but I'm glad they got that over with! Thanks for all the reviews, and please keep on reviewing!

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"What was that about? Are you okay?" Scott asked worriedly, watching Marie carefully as she leaned over the roof's railing and took a deep breath. " Marie?"

He grabbed her covered shoulders gently as he turned her around, looking into her eyes. For a brief moment, he stared at a pair of confused eyes. Then, as fast as they came, they returned to their shiny emerald color.

" What- I felt… felt like I was in another world…" she whispered, diving into Scott's arms, shaking like a terrified child. " My body was just reacting to your attacks, but I could control them… holding them back somewhat."

"Marie," Scott said, as he stroked her hair, " This is serious. This never happened before… do you want to tell the Professor?"

Marie shook her head, breathing in Scott's scent. Feeling safe in his arms, loving the smell of his after-shave. " I don't know…" she said. " I'm afraid to find out how I got this, I'm not sure I **want** to know where I've been…"

"But?" Scott asked.

Marie looked up and half-glared at him. " How would you know if there was a 'but'?" she asked.

Scott laughed at the woman in his arms. " Baby, I know you. There is always a 'but'." He felt her smile against his chest and held her even tighter.

" That's true," she replied.

"So what's the 'but'?" he asked.

Marie sighed and pulled away from him. She leaned against the railing and looked into Scott's glasses. " I've felt something… something telling me I forgot someone, left him behind."

"'Him'?" Scott asked. " How do you know this person's male?"

There was a slight silence between them. Scott waited patiently knowing she was trying to find the right words to explain. Scott had long ago decided there would be no secrets between them and had told her everything about him, his past, his present, and his dreams of the future. Although he hadn't told her about his growing feelings for her, he felt they both needed to know. 

Marie had told him everything that she had known. 17 years of her life- that she had been 'allowed' to remember. Scott felt close to Marie knowing that she kept no secrets from him. 

"… I've had dreams," she said. " Mostly, of a woman. She says that she'll be set free… if I touch her… hold her hand."

Her voice wavered as tears brimmed in her eyes, recollecting the dreams she had, finally telling Scott. " I know they're lying," she explains. " But she tells me to hold on to her hand, and to never let go…"

Scott's heart became heavy as she sobbed. She had kept it secret for a while now, he figured. It made him wonder what else she decided to keep from him. 

He wasn't angry. No, not at all… he was just saddened, he knew it was a burden for her and he felt bad for letting her hold it on her own.

" You should have told me," Scott said sadly. " It's not good to keep these sort of things to yourself. It's too much for just one person to handle."

"I know," Marie said smiling. " I… just didn't want to acknowledge that it ever occurred… but then… I get these dreams of this little boy…"

"-He'd run around singing and laughing…" Marie said happily. " He reminded me so much of you… then, he'd give me a peck on the cheek and say ' Te amo, mami, je t'aime'."

" That's… ' I love you, mom' in Spanish and French…" Scott translated, fluent in both Spanish and French. " You think you have a son?"

Marie turned around and wiped her tears away. Scott placed his arms around her from behind and rested his head on her shoulders.

" How long have you kept it in?" he asked.

" A few months now…" Marie said softly. " Just about the same time I got this 'link' with Logan."

"Link?" Scott asked. " Wh-what link?"

Marie looked at him sadly and hung her head in shame. " I'm sorry for keeping it a secret, Scott… I… I just thought that it would go away if I told someone… I was so afraid…"

Scott nodded. " I…I understand. But… about your… son… are you sure?"

"Yes," she said nodding her head. " I-I don't know if he's alive or not, but something tells me that I have a son and I should go back for him."

" So, you want to call the professor?" he asked.

Marie closed her mouth. She had no clue if she wanted to know for sure. Logan wanted to know about his past… he had to leave. 

'Would I have to leave my friends as well?' she asked herself.

" If I have a son, Scott…" Marie started. " I-"

" If you have a son, I am sure you can find him," Scott finished, knowing what she was thinking. "I'll help you with whatever you need. Just let me inform the others. They've been worried about you, you know."

Marie bit her lip and smiled. " I'm glad to know you guys care."

"Of course we do," Scott reassured, rubbing her arms. ' I care about you more than life itself…' he added silently, and made his way towards Xavier's office, where the X team was gathered.

========================================

Marie watched, contently as the clouds moved slowly across the blue sky. The roof was a good place to get away from it all, the crowds, the problems, everything. She had stripped down to her skin-tight, tank top and her tights. Though she was comfortable enough around Scott that she didn't flinch when he touched her, but she was always conscious of her skin and was always covered up.

Scott had gone down to Xavier's. She knew that he was going to inform the others, even though Xavier could have done that himself. 

'Scott knows me too well' she thought. 

The conversation that they had left had been eating away at her. The nightmares she'd received before she passed out during the meeting felt like a memory. She was sure it was. She wanted to know, no… she needed to know.

'Who was that woman?' she thought. 'More importantly… who is my son?'

Logan watched as Marie sat down, cross-legged on the cement. He had figured that not many people ventured out on the roof, seeing her attire. 

'So… this is where you go,' he thought.

He decided to observe her as she relaxed. Unknown to him that she had sensed his presence as soon as he had opened the door.

" You know, Logan, you're downwind," she stated finally, not bothering to turn around.

Logan blinked before he realized that Marie had spoken to him. He came out of his 'hiding' place and scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. Marie turned around and smiled softly, tempting Logan's control to slip.

" How?" he started. " I thought my mutation went away long ago…"

Marie looked at him sideways and shrugged. Logan looked her over, blood flowing south. He had to remind himself twice to breathe. 

" I dunno," she said truthfully. " It did, but the heightened senses stayed… Scott thinks it has something to do with my mutation that we haven't fully discovered yet."

Logan growled at the sound of Scott's name and recalled his conversation with Jubilee. He swallowed his anger and sat down next to his Marie, but not before he made a silent vow to make Scott's life a living nightmare.

He clenched his fists making his claws retract, surprising Marie as well. Unfortunately, he was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice her back away from him slowly.

'He is not getting her without a fight…' he thought on.

"Logan?" Marie whimpered, getting Logan's attention. 

He swore inwardly as he saw her cowering from him. He came towards her and placed his arms around her apologetically. 

" Darlin' I'm sorry if I scared you…" he started. " Um, about Scott…"

Marie blinked as she put two and two together. She felt the urge to laugh, but held it back. Lord knows how the Wolverine might react! She thought lightly.

" What about Scott?" she asked innocently.

" Well… what's he to you?"

Marie couldn't contain her laughter any longer. She burst out giggling and rolling on the floor as Logan raised his eyebrows.

" You find this amusing, darlin'?" he asked.

" Scott? Scott's my friend," she said between giggles. " You think- Scott…"

"No, see Scooter's not actin' like a friend, suitor maybe-" he grumbled.

" Suitor?" Marie said skeptically. " My, my, is the Wolverine **jealous**?"

Logan growled and shook his head as he turned around impulsively. " No! I-I… so what if I am? I just don't like him hangin' around you like that…"

" And why not, Logan?" Marie asked, getting testy. " I mean, I **am** 28 years old. I'm not a kid anymore!" 'I might even have one of my own' she added silently, thankful that the 'link' between them had suddenly disappeared during his arrival.

"It's not like I'm your property, you know!" she continued.

" Darlin'…" Logan started, but was cut off as Marie rambled on.

" What happened to **kid** Logan?" she asked. " What suddenly changed?"

Silence filled the gap between them and Marie made a move to leave. Logan panicked and grabbed her bare arm.

" Logan! No!"

His memories and thoughts filled her mind once more and all Marie could think of as they both fell on the floor was how much Logan loved her and needed her.

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**Author's Note: hey there! Okay… I cut off this chapter there cuz the next one is… well really really long and it will introduce more original new characters. Okay, for those of you who are confused, this IS a Scott/Marie or Cyclops/Rogue fic. But I added in a little twist so that at least its not one of those 'easy to come by' relationships. They have to go through some rough road. Love isn't easy you know! ^-^**


	15. A Word Of Caution

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The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thanks for the reviews, I was seriously worried whether or not this story was getting boring… its going to get better soon! I hope…

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Scott sat patiently in Xavier's office as the X-team assembled in the room. Many of them were not present due to their duties as either being teachers, students or medical personnel. Scott figured he'd have to inform them later.

" So, what is this all about?" Ororo asked, as she sat on one of the chairs. Her hair was slightly damp from the exercises that her class was doing. " Please make it quick, Jubilee's filling in for me, Lord knows what she'll do to a meditation class…"

They laughed at the thought of Jubilee leading a serene class that encourages calm actions. Scott shook it off and began the meeting.

" I'll make it quick," Scott reassured the weather goddess. " Ma- er… Rogue has just informed me that she will attempt to retrieve her memories with the help of the Professor."

" That's great… why are you telling this to us?" Bobby asked. " I mean, we all knew that she would try someday or another…"

Scott nodded in agreement. " However, ten years is a long time, Bobby."

" That is correct," Xavier continued. " We may have to prepare ourselves for a change in our dear Rogue."

The group was silent. They hadn't considered about the changes that may occur. Rogue was already so dear to them, would she change and become someone they barely know about?

" So… is she going to begin now?" Kitty asked as she looked around. " Can… can we stay?"

Xavier shook his head. " No, Rogue will need to concentrate and I'm afraid too many people will just distract her." His expression suddenly changed. " However she will not start right now… I believe there has been a mishap on the roof… she may need time to recollect herself."

Jean nodded as Xavier explained the situation to her mentally. As the rest of the X-team filed out of the room, Scott stayed and sat on one of the larger chairs that faced Xavier's mahogany desk.

" Was there something else you'd like to add?" Xavier asked. Scott had his mind shut off from the telepath to protect the information he had within his mind. Xavier respected his decision, knowing he was only protecting Rogue's privacy.

" Marie thinks she may have had a child," he replied as he sighed in frustration. " What did they do to her? What were they trying to accomplish?"

Xavier sympathized with the man and smiled. 'They make a good pair' he thought to himself. 'The fearless leader and the timid soldier… they do say that opposites attract'. 

He had a theory about Scott's harbored feelings towards Rogue since he had first warmed up to the untouchable woman. Somehow, he had a feeling that the two were going to be each other's strength and they would be an unbeatable team. Now, he had a feeling that the theory was proving itself to be right.

" I shall call her. She must be anxious to get her past back."

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Underground labs: Area 42

DeVillago sat patiently as his team busied themselves with plans and devices. They had bugged every clothing they had bought for their 'Trojan Horse'. The boy- Richard Adler, as the Rogue named him- was code-named 'Hypno' for his mutation and they knew the boy as useless… until now. The Rogue had been the boy's only contact ever since he was born. It was normal for him to be impatient when it would come to a reunion. 

"So when can I see her?" Ricky asked, his hazel eyes flashing bright blue as his patience wore off. " You're tricking me aren't you?"

DeVillago smiled as he saw the boy on the screen, frowning at the cameras. 

" I assure you, my boy… we're merely waiting for a signal"

-----------------------------

Johnson, the spectacled officer watched the screen intently as he aligned the GPS satellite. Sweat covered his brow as he tried his best to somehow find a flickering signal. Suddenly, as he typed quickly, the screen zoomed into a more detailed map with a flashing red dot appearing.

" Sir?" he said,

General Austwit, who was drinking a cup of coffee, placed it down and stood over the soldier.

"Where is this?" he demanded, looking at the soldier intently.

" Westchester, sir. Xavier's School for the Gifted," Johnson replied.

General Austwit knew where the school was; his son had just been accepted to that particular school not so long ago. His expression hardened as he thought of the situation more deeply.

" Inform DeVillago," he barked. " I'll accompany Philip Nate to the conference room."

Johnson saluted and ran towards the opposite wing. He reached the white conference room and gasped for breath. The room, full of scientists, calmed down as soon as he had ran through the sliding doors.

" May I help you?" DeVillago asked. 

" We've located the Rogue, sir," Johnson informed the now smiling scientist. " She's in the 'Xavier's School for the Gifted in Westchester, sir!"

DeVillago nodded in approval and dismissed the young soldier.

" Iz it pozzible zat ze gurl haz controlled ze device?" Dr. Krauss wondered out loud.

" No sir,"

The group turned towards the new voice and found General Austwit with a blindfolded blond man, who looked no more than 30.

" General?" Dr. Stevenson said, encouraging him to continue.

" My daughter, Stacie…" he started, tears threatening to fall. " She was accepted to that school, not too long ago… It's a place for mutants."

A gasp filled the room. " What should we do?" " If there's a school of mutants-" " Who knows what sort of-" The conversations soon began and the room was out of control. The scientists began to worry about what sort of trouble would arise if the Rogue did remember all the experiments done on her.

" We should have erased her memories like we did project Wolverine," stated one of the more elderly scientists. " You don't see him around, do you?"

" Dr. Jenkins," DeVillago said. " If we had erased her memories, she would surely be one of the terrorists threatening the government. Now, I want 147 back here, the rest of the mutants will not be taken."

" She is all we need." 

The woman nodded, translating everything he had said in her mind. Whatever he had just said was heard differently in her ears. _All we need is 147 to defeat any problems in our way. She is all we need_

" Now, General Austwit, please bring our 'bait' here," DeVillago said as he looked at the emotionless man. Austwit nodded and did as he was told.

=========================================================

Ricky settled in his white cell and hugged his knees. He knew he was being watched. His mother had taught him everything to survive, to escape… however things were not looking good. His mother had also taught him to know when to lay low, when to strike and when to be alert and aware. Right then, he knew that it was a time to be aware and to somehow figure out what was going on.

'Act Dumb, be wise' was what she always said to him. Ricky had kept his other abilities secret and used them to his advantage at most times. 

He missed his mother and was tempted to use his telekinesis to bust him out of the lab. However… he didn't have enough information to know whether he would have a clean getaway.

'So much for being Houdini,' he thought sadly.

" So they found her?"

Ricky's ears twitched as he heard the conversation just outside his door. He made no outward change, but concentrated everything he had on his sense of hearing. 

" Yea'. They found th' Sheila somewhere in N'York," replied one of the Australian guards. Ricky had known him to be quite a blabbermouth and proved to be quite useful to Ricky when he needed information.

" Wow, high standards," commented the other. " Why's Phil here?"

" I dunno. 'eard it was t'get the rest o' the plan on," replied the Aussie. " He's gonna help th' Sheila t' remembe' 10 'ears o' pure bliss!"

They laughed at the crude comment and Ricky fumed remembering the instances when the guards would return his mother battered and bleeding.

'Don't worry, mamma. Once I'm out of here… I'll never let them touch you!' Ricky thought.

She was the reason that he was never abused. His mother would always protect him. Somehow, not even the restraining collar they had latched on stopped her when she was mad. Everyone in the lab, even the scientists themselves were quite afraid of her when she was in 'protective' mode. The powers they had forced her to absorb had made her the perfect weapon and add on her deadly skin: she was even more deadly.

Suddenly, he heard the laughter cease and the shuffling of feet began louder. His cell door opened and he saw one of the guard smile at him.

" Come on kid. It's time to pack. We're going to see your mom."

====================================================

****

Author's Note: Okay to make things clearer: Rogue doesn't really know about Ricky yet. She just has a feeling that she has a son. Next chapter, we'll see Rogue as she remembers her son… so sad…


	16. Moving

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The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey again! Enjoy the next chapter!

====================================

Jean watched emotionlessly as Logan sat upright, shaking off the aftereffects of Rogue's mutation. He groaned as he adapted to the room's brightness and stretched his sore muscles.

" Better keep still for a while," Jean said, holding him back. " Rogue's out by the door. She's pretty pissed at you."

Logan nodded and placed his shirt back on. He took his time as Jean examined him, making sure he was fully healed.

" Scott's pretty pissed at you too," Jean murmured, catching Logan's attention.

" Cyke?" he asked. " I don't give a rat's ass about what he thinks."

Jean placed her stethoscope away and gave Logan a serious look. " He's made up his mind, you know." She informed him. " He cares a lot for Rogue…"

Jean shifted nervously, foot to foot as Logan eyed her angrily. 'Thank God Prof. Xavier had this place 'wolverine-proofed'.' She thought. 

The last tantrum Logan had vented off had cost quite a lot of money and had unfortunately cut the Home Economics class, but it was worth it; some of those kids could not cook!

" Red, Scott can **try**," Logan growled. " I know Marie cares a lot about me."

He stood up and walked past Jean, opening the door and expected to see a familiar auburn-haired woman waiting for him. Instead, he found an empty waiting room, save for a furry blue doctor checking the nearby offices. The doctor looked up from his clipboard and walked towards Logan.

" Wolverine, I presume?" he asked, extending his furry arm out towards him. He had reminded Logan of a British spy, only less obnoxious. " My name is Henry McCoy."

" Uh, sure. Nice to meet ya…" Logan said, not really listening to what the man had to say. " Have you seen a woman here, streaked hair?"

Henry nodded and smiled. " Oh yes, Rogue. What a delightful young woman!" he exclaimed. " She was here, but was called by Charles just a moment ago."

Logan nodded and walked away, leaving Henry to his daily checks around the lab.

=================================================

Marie stared at the blank screen and yawned. Xavier had told her to relax her mind and think of nothing. When that didn't work, he had her staring at Scott's laptop screen. Knowing Scott, it was a white screen.

"Professor, I don't think this is workin'," she said, her accent thickening as her patience wore off. 

She began to wander off as she wished she knew what she was looking for. She began to recall one of her fondest memories and laughed out loud, causing Scott and Xavier to stare at her.

" Oh sorry, I was just thinkin' that this was like the time Ricky bought one of those 'magic eye' books," Marie started. " He had me staring at an abstract picture, telling me it was a butterfly!"

Scott and Xavier looked at each other then at her. Scott smiled and hugged the now-confused girl.

" Marie! You did it! You remembered something from the past!" he exclaimed.

" I think this 'Ricky' might be the key to unlocking the secrets!" Xavier added, smiling as well.

Marie blinked and realized what she had remembered. Her fondest memory of her and her son, Ricky during the time she was allowed to buy an apartment outside of the lab. She was always guarded, but at least her son was somewhat leading a normal life.

" Ricky… my son, Richard Adler."

Scott smiled and gave her another hug. As they parted, Marie stared into his glasses, knowing he was staring in her eyes as well.

" Thank you," she said, tears in her eyes. 

" For what?" Scott asked. " It was all you."

" Alright, let's dig in just a little further, then you and Scott can do the rest," Xavier said. " We just need a location… after all, you want Ricky back."

----------------------------------------------

****

Area 42

" She's not alone, sir." Nate informed. " She's with a telepath, but he's making it easier for me to open her mind."

DeVillago smiled. " Good, now, 'help' the girl remember her memories. Remember the more important details about her mutation, about the location of her son as of right now."

Nate did as he was told and gasped inwardly as he also witnessed the major experiments done on the woman. He clenched his jaws, watching as the memories just flowed past him.

'God, what the hell is he planning to do to this woman?' 

He felt Rogue notice his presence and found himself in a room, identical to that of a questioning room. There was a large mirror and the walls were padded.

" Who are you?"

He turned towards the voice and saw Rogue. He tried to disconnect the link, but he found himself to be stuck in the room.

" This is my mind, I control everything," she said coldly. " Now who are you and what are you doing in my head?"

Nate couldn't control himself, as information just flowed form his body. 

" My name is Phillip Nate, I was contacted by General Austwit to aid him in a project to locate you," he said. " Dr. DeVillago wanted you to remember everything so that it would be easier to continue where he left off."

Rogue glared at him intently and he felt the room temperature drop. He could see his breath as he exhaled and his teeth chattered as he stood there.

" P-please… I-I was-"

" I won't kill you," Rogue said softly. " I just want to know if my son is still well."

Nate shook his head. " I have no clue. I was led blindfolded and was not told more than what I have informed you."

As soon as he had finished his last word, the temperature began to rise. Rogue sat down in front of him and smiled.

" See? That wasn't so hard."

Last thing he knew, he was out of the link.

" Mr. Nate? What happened?" DeVillago asked.

" She found out sir," he replied.

" General! Get this… this… incompetence out of my sight!" he barked. " The operation still goes as planned! Only, this time…"

" Sir?" Dr. Jenkins said. " What if it backfires on us?"

" It won't. We'll have the aid of our old friend," he replied. " I believe Victor Creed is still in our clutches, is he not?"

-------------------------------------------------------------

Xavier began to worry as Rogue showed no signs of life. He had been disconnected from the link when he felt an intruder in her mind.

Suddenly, she opened her eyes and began to gasp for breath. " Oh… Mah… it's a trap…"

" What?" Scott said. 

" My memories are back… but someone from the labs had done that for me…" she growled. Tears stung her eyes as she recalled the people she had absorbed, the powers that she held.

" Rogue, you had shut me out of your mind… what happened?" Xavier asked as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

" I was to be the perfect weapon," she whispered. " Oh God… Logan…"

Scott tensed. "What about him?"

Rogue looked at him and at Xavier. Tears were now streaming down her face. " The doctor that was in charge of me… was involved in the making of the Wolverine."

=================================================

Logan made his way towards Rogue's room and saw Jubilee, Kitty as well as Rogue herself walking towards the teacher's floor, each carrying a large box. He curiously followed them, making sure to be extra careful around Rogue's sensitive nose.

He stopped about three doors down as the three stopped at a room directly opposite of his and right beside Scott's. Rogue opened the door and Logan heard Kitty gasp.

" Like, wow! Rogue, this room totally rocks!" he heard the over-bubbly teen exclaim. 

Logan took a peek at her room as he inconspicuously passed by. It was one of the larger teacher rooms, usually reserved for those with kids. It was practically an apartment lacking a kitchen and dining room. It was a large rectangular room with two beds; a king- sized bed and a double bed. 

He, along with the rest of the faculty had been informed that if they ever got married, that they would also receive one of those rooms. It was practical and it was safe. 

'Why would Marie be moving in there?' Logan thought curiously.

Kitty sat on the double bed and flopped on her back. " Like, I cannot believe Professor Xavier is making you move out… but… why here?"

Jubilee nodded as she crossed her arms. They had placed the boxes on the floor and were taking a small break.

" Yeah, I mean rumor has it, these rooms were reserved for those with a family, like kids and a husband," Jubilee said. " Is there something you're hiding from us?"

Rogue shook her head. " Well, I am 28 now…" she started. " I guess he just thought it wasn't healthy for me to be rooming with people."

"Really?" Kitty teased, winking at Jubilee. " So… that bed isn't there just in case you get hitched to Mr. Summers?"

Rogue laughed and threw a stuffed plush toy at her eccentric valley-girl friend. Jubilee wrinkled her brow and decided to speak up.

"Or Logan?"

They were all silent and Logan, who was still outside decided to keep on listening. Rogue blinked and took a deep breath. 

" J-jubes… what do you know… I mean," Rogue started. " Logan… loves me…"

Kitty gaped at Rogue and crawled over to her. " No way? He's over Dr. Grey?"

" Great rhyme, kitty," Jubilee noted. " He told me… well actually I pressured him to…"

" But what about Mr. Summers?" Kitty asked. " I mean, whoo! Have you seen the way he's been looking at you?"

Rogue laughed and unpacked. " You two are too much… Scott isn't like that…"

" Ooh, Scott!" Kitty teased. " Didn't know you were on a first name basis with him!"

Rogue shook her head and left her giggling friends to their thoughts. She began unpacking and thought back to the meeting that she had just come out of. She remembered her son, Ricky. 

'Does he still know me?' she wondered. 'What did they do to him while I was gone?'

The latter scared Rogue more than anything in her life. She didn't want her son to go through any pain or any experiments. She didn't want him to lose more of his childhood that was already partially ripped away from him, being born in a laboratory.

Then she thought of Logan. DeVillago, she found out was part of the project responsible for the Wolverine. She gripped the shirt she was holding as she thought of the things that had been done to him. 

" Rogue?"

She turned around and found Kitty looking at her, awaiting an answer. " Sorry, what was the question?"

" Geez, here I thought Jubes was the only one with a short attention span!" Kitty teased. " I said: if Mr. Summers wasn't your type, who is?"

Rogue shrugged. " I don't know," she said. " Right now, all I want is to get my past back. For all I know… I could have had someone."

Jubilee nodded. " That's a good choice. But… if you didn't, who would you go to?"

Rogue thought for a bit and smiled at Jubilee. " I may just go for Bobby!"

Jubilee laughed and threw a pillow at the woman. Logan sighed and walked towards his room. He had enough of listening in. 

' I need a drink' he thought. ' This whole thing is giving me a headache!'

=======================================================

****

Author's Note: that was kind of…long. Lol. Next chapter: Ricky is introduced to the X-Men and Scotty and Logan fight it out in the Danger room!


	17. Fights In The Kitchen

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The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey, thanks for all the reviews! For those of whom are slightly confused with what's going on at the moment, here's the summary:

Chapter 16

Scott calls a meeting with the X team. He informs the team about Rogue's decision to try and unlock her past. Xavier, in turn, cautions the team to be careful of how they act around Rogue; she may have a slight change in her persona. DeVillago and his team find out from General Austwit that Xavier's School for the Gifted is an institute for mutants after realizing that his own daughter was a mutant. The scientists wonder what to do to the institute after they find their precious Rogue, but DeVillago insists that all they need to win the war between species is Rogue. Phillip Nate, the telepathic soldier that works for the US government was lucky enough to slip into Rogue's mind while she and Xavier are on the process of finding out about her past. Rogue finds him in her mind and creates a room in her mind, which blocks out the professor but keeps Phillip inside the room, unable to escape. She gets the needed information from him and releases him after. DeVillago is angry to find that his plans have been found out, but he still forces his team to go through with the plan… only with a slight twist: a little help from Sabretooth. Rogue does get her memory back, but is a bit shocked to find out more information about Logan as well. DeVillago was one of the scientists responsible for his current state. Logan wakes up and decides to find Rogue to talk to her, and finds her in the teacher's wing where Xavier made special rooms in which mutant families could stay. He overhears Rogue's 'interesting' conversation with her friends about him and Scott. Then he just decides to go back to bed because he's getting a huge headache from Kitty's squeals. 

Have fun! Here's the next chapter: kind of short…

========================================================

Marie woke up in a cold sweat. It wasn't unusual; ever since she found out about her past; that was how she would always wake up. Afraid for her life, even though she knew she was safe in the school. Sighing, she pushed her covers off and went towards her bathroom. She splashed cold water on her face and looked at her reflection.

'Well, there goes my hope for a restful night…' she thought sadly. Then she inspected her reflection again. '-As well as my dream of becoming Ms. Universe.'

Her eyes were bloodshot and her hair was a mess. She shook her head and combed her hair. After taming the wild tangles of the auburn jungle, she made her way towards her closet and started to unpack. 

'God I wish I could just go to Scott…' she thought wistfully. 

She had been avoiding everyone lately. Four days of isolation from everyone and she was doing it on her own accord. Her memories were a jumble and she was beginning to have conversations with herself at night… things were just way out of hand.

To top it all off, the last conversation she had with anyone was with Kitty and Jubilee, the argument about Logan and Scott. The two people she had been avoiding the most. 

Regaining her memories gave her back the lessons she had learned while she was in the lab, or out in the real world. The lessons were harsh and made her wonder how she could ever have forgotten them.

' Is it even possible for Scott to like me?' she wondered. 'Could what Kitty said be true? That Scott is harboring feelings for me?'

She took out a large blue sweater and smiled. She held in front of her and inhaled as she brought it close to her face. It was one of Scott's sweaters that he had loaned her. She bit her bottom lip as she felt the pang of guilt shoot across her chest. It wasn't fair of her to just avoid Scott after all he'd done for her…

'Screw that!' she thought and walked silently towards the room next to hers. She didn't knock, but just opened the door slightly to let him know someone was coming in.

" Scott?" she whispered, knowing Scott was a light sleeper.

He turned over and yawned. Something inside Marie told her that he still had his eyes closed, even though he wore his visor to sleep.

" Marie?" he asked, his voice somewhat raspy. " What's wrong?"

Marie smiled sadly and Scott looked at the bundle in her arms. He knew something was bothering her, and it was bothering him as well.

He sat up, pulled the covers just a bit and patted the space next to him. Marie smiled and sat down next to him.

" I've been wondering why you've been avoiding me… and everyone else," Scott said. " Does it have something to do with Ricky?"

Marie shook her head. " I'm… I don't know… paranoid, I guess… I've been having nightmares and this time its all mine…" 

Scott gently pulled her into a warm embrace. " Do you want to talk about it?"

" That would be nice," Marie replied. 

Scott got out of bed and smiled at her confused expression. " You can't have a serious discussion without hot chocolate," he explained. 

Marie giggled and nodded. " Don't forget the marshmallows!"

'Still the same Marie,' Scott thought. 'My Marie…'

================================================

Logan sat on one of the stools in the kitchen. He took a swig from his beer and set in down gently. 'Four days' he thought. 'Marie's been avoiding me for four days…'

Through Logan's point of view, he understood Marie along with Hockey and beer. In his opinion, she was one of the things he knew best. And now… now he wasn't so sure. After Scott telling the team that she had decided to find out about her past, he felt that he would understand what she was going through, but he didn't.

He thought that she would run to him if anything happened, especially since she now knew how he felt about her. 

'That was the whole point of touching her' he said to himself. 'Why is she still avoiding me?'

Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming towards the kitchen. He knew it was male, and by the sound of it, Scott. 

__

They've become close, Logan

'Could it be, that red's right… that Marie only had a crush… and its gone?' he wondered.

Scott came into the kitchen wearing a thin long sleeved shirt and a pair of black sweats. " Hey"

Logan grunted in response and watched as he took out two coffee cups and started to heat some water.

" Isn't it a bit late for beer?" Scott asked him.

" Isn't it a bit late for coffee?" Logan retorted.

Scott frowned at the Canadian's attitude. " It's not for coffee, it's for cocoa."

Logan chuckled. " You back together with Jean?" he asked. Just because he had a reputation of being Mr. Bad-ass, didn't mean that he was stupid. Logan knew Scott would always make hot chocolate for late night talks with Jean. It was like his signature 'talk' drink, as opposed to Logan's beer.

" No," Scott replied curtly. " It's for Rogue."

Logan spit out his beer and started coughing. " Marie? It's for Marie? What happened?" he asked, concerned for Rogue's welfare.

" Nothing's wrong," Scott said as he filled the mugs with boiling water. " She just had a nightmare."

Logan stared at him as if he had grown another head. " A nightmare?" he asked. " You want **me** to believe that **my** Marie went to **you** because she had a nightmare?"

Scott glared at the now laughing Canadian and set the mugs down. " What is so funny about that, Logan?" he asked. " Is it so hard to believe that Marie and I are close?"

Logan's laughter stopped abruptly as he stood and walked towards Scott. " What right do you have to call her that?"

Scott smirked and shook his head. " Logan, Logan, Logan," he said, smiling even wider as he heard the feral man growl even more. " Get with the times. I've been calling Rogue, Marie, ever since she told me her name."

" Just what kind of a sick joke do you think you're making?" Logan snarled, grabbing Scott's shirt. " Marie is mine and you can't change that!"

Scott roughly pushed Logan off him, surprising Logan with his strength. " Yours?" he mocked. " I didn't know that Marie was some kind of a trophy!"

" You know what I mean!" Logan yelled as he lunged for Scott, who just barely dodged him. " You better stay away from my woman!"

Scott couldn't contain himself any longer. He just lost all common sense after Logan had proclaimed Marie as his.

" Scott! No!" Jean yelled. She had gone to the kitchen to see what the noise was about and found Logan and Scott in a full out fight. More people came down and they started to get an even bigger audience, who began to fear for the both of them. Jean couldn't even touch them with her telekinesis. Ororo wasn't sure what she could do.

The kitchen was a mess, chairs were broken and strewn about everywhere. Ororo thanked whatever power was up there that the counter was still fine, and the stoves were untouched.

Xavier received a telepathic message from Jean and immediately went to check the situation.

" Oh dear Lo- LOGAN! SCOTT!" he hollered, but to no avail. The two were projecting their feelings and Xavier decided to bring his 'daughter' down.

Marie ran downstairs and screamed in surprise to what she found. The crowd made a path for her and she gasped at the wounds that both sides had. Even with Logan's healing factor, the cuts that Scott had made with his blasts were going to be more than enough trouble for him to heal. The bruises that Scott had on his face were already turning purple.

Her eyes went wide as Logan unsheathed his claws. She ran towards Scott and shielded him with her body.

" Shit! Marie! No!" both men yelled simultaniously.

Marie had moved so fast, Logan couldn't retract his claws in time to prevent contact with her skin. He ended up reliving one of his worst nightmares, and impaled Marie with his claws for the second time.

He stood in shock, finally retracted his claws and watched in horror as her body fell against his. 'Oh God, please don't let this happen' he thought.

" Scott," Marie rasped, gasping for breath as her life seeped out of her stomach. " Bring Ricky here… Xavier will know where he is…"

Scott felt his chest contract and Logan touched Marie's skin without him convulse and writhe in pain. It brought back memories for the both of them, of her on the Statue of Liberty.

Just like last time, Logan kissed her, praying that it would work once more. 

==========================================================

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Author's Note: I think I'll end this… right… here… j/k! Here's RICKY!

================================================

DeVillago muttered curses under his breath as he sat in his black limousine. A brown-haired boy ( **AN: I realized that the description I made totally screamed : JAMIE**) sat patiently beside him.

" So, are you excited to finally see your mother?" DeVillago asked, trying to make conversation with the boy. 

"Why aren't I going straight to her?" Ricky asked, hoping to get further information out of the man. 

DeVillago looked at the child and began to have second thoughts in whether he was indeed mentally challenged or not. 

" Well, Ricky," he started. " We want to show your mother that we aren't going to trick her…"

Ricky nodded his head and smiled, hoping to get the doubt out of DeVillago's head. When he felt that DeVillago was satisfied, he sighed inwardly. 'Thank God for my empathy' he thought. ' Don't worry, I'm coming soon, mom'

When they reached a large building, DeVillago got out of the car and helped Ricky with his duffel bag. " Now, you make sure you tell your mother 'hello' for me."

Ricky plastered a fake smile and nodded exuberantly, running into the building where he was greeted by a group of optimistic nuns.

---------------------------------------

DeVillago watched as the boy ran inside happily. He went back inside the Limo and rolled down the glass that separated the backseat with the driver.

" When the boy's mother has arrived," he started. " Make sure you follow them and report back to Austwit."

The hairy man next to the driver nodded in disgust. He opened the door and went outside. He was about to walk back to his truck, when DeVillago opened his window.

" Remember Victor," he said icily. " We're the only ones who can find your wife."

The man growled and walked away as DeVillago drove off. Sabertooth slammed his door closed and waited for the woman he had once kidnapped.

' As if working for Magnus wasn't enough' he thought bitterly.

=====================================================================

Scott gripped the wheel tightly as they traveled thousands of miles in the air. Rogue was back in the mansion recovering from a blow that would've killed any normal human. She had requested that they bring back her son, with or without her. And with Scott being Scott, he did as she asked.

Ororo sat beside him as he stared out the window, his mind not really on flying, but on Rogue. She knew that Scott was serious about the woman, and was hoping to do everything in her power to help him. 

" Scott, I think you should lighten your grip on the wheel, you're killing the poor thing," Ororo said.

Scott blinked and turned towards the white haired beauty and smiled sheepishly. " Sorry, I… I guess I'm just nervous."

Ororo pushed a few buttons and laid out the coordinates of their destination and pressed the auto-pilot button. She then faced Scott and placed a light hand on his arm.

" So, what's been bothering you?" she asked gently.

Scott sighed and calmed his nerves. " I… I don't know. I guess I'm just too afraid of what the kid might think of me," he said truthfully. " I mean, what if he doesn't like me?"

" Why do you want him to like you in the first place?" Ororo asked, already knowing the answer. 

" Because… because…" Scott slouched in defeat. Scott sat silently, thinking of reasons why he would want a 9- year- old boy to like him. 

'Because he's not just a 9-year-old boy' Scott thought. 'He's Marie's 9-year-old boy… who could in the future become my son…'

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Author's Note: I said that Ricky would meet the X-Men, but this chapter just got way too long, so he'll be meeting up with our heroes in the next upload. So have fun! By the way: I'm now officially 15! Woohoo! That's one year to 'vroom-vroom' and 3 to University (shudder)


	18. Meet Richard Adler

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The Rogue

Author's Note: I am so sorry for the long delay! As I said before, we bought a place in the country and we're sort of re-modeling the house we have there, so it takes a while. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I really liked writing it. I hope you guys like reading it!

===============================================

Victor, also known as, Sabertooth watched the building until he knew by heart the number of bricks, windows and shutters it had on the front wing. He was just about to doze off when his sensitive hearing picked up the sound of an incoming jet plane.

'About time,' he thought sourly. 'My back is killing me!'

He started the truck's engine and waited for his target. The jet came to sight and passed over the ancient orphanage. Sabertooth watched as the plane landed at a nearby forest. As soon as he heard the plane land, the revving of an on-road-racing bike was heard.

Victor saw a black and blue Honda speeding across the park towards the orphanage. 'Finally' he thought, only to be surprised as the driver's helmet came off. ' It's that Cyclops kid' he thought.

He took out a cellular phone and speed-dialed DeVillago.

"We got ourselves a problem," he said. " That chick ain't the one picking up the brat."

There was a muffled curse on the other end, and then an order to go on with the plan and follow the two wherever they may go.

" I guess I see the puppy sooner than planned," he said as he hung up.

==================================================================

Scott took a deep breath and went inside the large sanctuary. He hated going to orphanages, it brought back memories of his past that he wouldn't want to relive again. He sat on one of the chairs in the waiting room and drummed his fingers on his knees.

"May I help you, young man?"

Scott turned towards the soft-speaking woman and stood awkwardly. A short, plump nun was standing before him, smiling gently.

" Um, I'm-uh, here for Richard Adler," he said, unsure of what to do.

" Oh! You must be Scott Summers," she said. Scott shook her outstretched hand and nodded.

" I'm Sister Sara," she said bowing slightly. " Professor Xavier called to inform us of the incident with Richard's mother. I do hope she'll recover."

Scott wrinkled his brows in confusion. " Professor Xavier called?" he asked.

Sister Sara nodded, clutching her rosary and smiling brightly. " Oh yes, he donates money and clothes to provide for the children," she said leading Scott towards the rooms of the orphanage. " Here we are."

She opened the door and soon twenty adorable little faces greeted her and Scott.

"Richard," Sister Sara called. A little boy stood up from the back seat and carried a large duffel bag with him. Sister Sara gently nudged him towards Scott and closed the doors, saying a small apology to the teacher for her intrusion.

" Richard, this is Scott Summers," she said pointing to Scott. " He's here to bring you to your mother."

Ricky looked at him and stuck out his hand. Scott shook it and smiled brightly. 

" Thank you for taking care of Ricky," Scott said.

Sister Sara smiled and nodded. " I thank you more for reuniting him with his mother."

========================================================

Ricky stared at the man before him and fiddled with his bag. They walked outside and Scott immediately regretted his choice of transport. A motorcycle isn't exactly safe for a 9-year-old kid.

"So, Ricky," he started. " You like bikes?"

Ricky nodded timidly and looked up at Scott. " Where's my mom?" he asked bluntly.

"She was injured a few days back," Scott explained. " She's still back in Westchester recovering."

Ricky frowned at the thought of his mother being injured. 'She's invincible… how can she be injured?' he wondered. He hugged his bag closer to his body thinking of a logical explanation.

" Hey, don't be so sad," Scott said, hoping to lighten his mood. " You're going to see her soon. Do you… want to get anything before we leave?"

Ricky, being a mutant growing up in a laboratory, learned to master his abilities quickly. His gift of empathy was powerful and well developed that he could feel people's true intentions. He used his abilities to double- check what Scott's true intentions were. 

Ricky smiled brightly as he soon discovered Scott's intentions were pure. " Can we get some daisies for my mom? She loves daisies."

Scott kept that information in mind and nodded. " Sure. Let's grab some on the way, maybe we can ever buy her a new teddy bear."

=============================================================

"All right everyone, remember… be on your best behavior around Richard," Xavier announced to the roomful of students. " We don't want to scare him off, we're not even sure if he's a mutant."

There was a few whispering amongst the students. " Professor, Isn't Rogue like, untouchable? How can she have a child?"

Xavier faced Kitty and shook his head. " That, Ms. Pryde, is something you have to ask Rogue herself."

The auditorium was soon empty as the students began to get ready for their newest recruit. Mutant or not, he was about to join their family and they were not about to turn him away. Most of the students had feared Rogue and her skin, but they had come to grow fond of the Southern Belle and her ways. 

Jamie, one of the X-Men's younger students was fond of Rogue. He loved her cooking and had come to know her as a mix of being his mother and his sister. He was excited about meeting Ricky. **(AN: I thought Ricky might need an older-brother figure, and in Evo Jamie seemed to be pretty attached to Rogue… in my opinion.)**

Jubilee made her way towards the Medlab and found Logan next to Rogue's bed, holding her ungloved hand in his large gloved ones. He placed a gentle kiss on her palm and sighed sadly when her mutation failed to kick in. 

' If only you hadn't left,' Jubilee thought sadly. ' Rogue might have ended up with you…'

She decided to come back another time and went back to her room. ' I shouldn't have meddled with Rogue's affairs… now she's stuck with an impossible choice…'

Kitty found Jubliee crying on her bed. " Jubes, what's wrong?"

" We shouldn't have messed with things, Kit…" she sobbed. " Logan's in love with Rogue… and now he's about to lose her…"

" Jubes, I thought-" Kitty started. 

" He told me everything. He buckled and told me why he left… he felt perverted for loving Rogue because of their age gap… so he left to let her grow…" Jubilee explained between hiccups. " Now… we just ruined a man, Kitty. We just ruined Logan's life."

=====================================================================

"Marie…" Logan started, his voice low and hoarse. " Please make it through this, Darlin'."

"Logan?"

He looked up, gazing at Marie's body, hoping she was awake. His mood fell as he found her, still sleeping. He felt a hand on his shoulder, looking towards its owner, he found Jean standing behind him.

" When are you operating?" Logan asked, his throat dry. 

" In a few minutes," Jean said looking at her wristwatch. " Hank wanted to double-check for any possible errors that might occur."

Logan stood and lingered over Marie's sleeping form. He placed his fingers over Marie's lips, barely touching her skin. He recalled the feelings that ran through him when he kissed her on the Statue of Liberty. The feel of her lips on his. He regretted every moment that he was away from her, and now… he might not have the chance to taste her lips once more. 

"I think I should leave," Logan said, ignoring the blunt pain in his chest. " I would only end up hurting her again…"

Logan laughed mentally at his statement. The reasons he kept away from relationships were to prevent hurting himself, and now… now he realized that merely **wanting** to be in a relationship would hurt not only himself, but the one he loved most.

Jean shook her head. " If you leave now, it'll be like the first time you left," she argued. " Stay. Be here for her regardless of whom she decides to stay with. Be a man."

" Don't lecture me Jean. You're losing someone yourself!" Logan growled.

"No," Jean contradicted. " I already lost him, way before he realized he was in love with Rogue."

Logan sighed. " I just can't stay here, watching as she becomes a wife of someone else. Being in someone else's arms, loving someone else…" he said. 

" So you're just going to leave her again? Without a word?" Jean asked.

Logan sighed. " Look, I'll think about it… okay?" he said, defeated. " I'll think about it."

============================================================================

Ricky took a deep breath as the plane landed. He took a liking to Scott already, and was at ease with Ororo. She had informed him that there was going to be a party held just for his arrival and he felt slightly nervous.

" You alright?" Scott asked, holding a large white bear and the bouquet of flowers in his arms. Ricky smirked as he recalled what had happened in the store. Scott kept asking him if the items were too small, when in reality they were extremely huge and expensive. 

Ricky nodded. " I'm okay," he said, holding Scott's free hand. Ororo had offered to take his duffel bag and he reluctantly caved in. 

So far, every conversation they had was very ordinary. It was as if they were talking carefully around him, like he was bugged.

'Am I?' he wondered. Most of his clothes were newly bought and he had not seen inside the duffel bag since DeVillago had handed it to him. ' I'm such a dunce!' he thought. 'Of course you'll be bugged! You don't have one of those tracking device thingies like mom!'

Ororo stopped when they reached the hallway and opened the large double-doors. He stepped inside and found a lot of people smiling at him.

" Everyone, meet Richard Adler."

===============================================

****

Author's Note: hey all! Alright! Now the X-Men sees him! Next chapter: Rogue's powers… oooooh! And: Logan's decision. SO many things are going to happen!


	19. Bugged, Operations, Amnesia

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey y'all! I'm actually updating early this time! Lol! Just to let y'all know, on Friday, July 25th, I'm going to be in the country fixing up our little messed up abode, so it might take a while for me to update the chapters, whichever number it may be. Sorry for the inconvenience, but at least I'm updating NOW.

=================================================

Ricky examined his new room and was impressed by the size as well as the feeling of comfort that resonated within its walls. He assumed that mutants in the school had no idea he was immune to his mother's original powers or that he was a mutant himself. 

' At least I have an advantage,' he thought.

Unlike most children, who resented their parents and hated their lectures, Ricky cherished the moments that his mother would sit him down to talk to him about serious matters. He was a fast developing boy, and he knew it. None of the children in the orphanage held a match to his intelligence, street-wise or school-wise. 

'Maman is a good teacher,' he said as he laid flat on his stomach on the larger bed. 

He had burned the lessons that she taught him in his memories. The important pieces of advice that she would often send his way, as well as tips on how to survive in a world where humans despised you. But, even in the midst of all the pain and torture, Ricky found himself admiring his mother for her limitless amount of forgiveness and hope. 

" Just because you have the power, doesn't mean you have the right," Ricky whispered, repeating the same words that Rogue had told him many years ago, once his mutation had developed. 

****

FLASHBACK

__

His mother sat on the cell bench, holding Ricky in her arms, rocking him as he shook with rage. His mother's tattered body was aching from the beating and the seemingly endless torture, but she kept it together for her son. Blood poured out of new cuts from her arms and legs. They would heal soon, but Ricky still cried for his mother.

" Once I'm older, Maman, these bigots will suffer!" Ricky hissed as he cried in his mother's arms.

His mother looked at him and shook her head. " Non, you should not judge these people just because of what they do," she said gently. " They just don't understand us. They fear us. We hold within us the power to destroy, or to defend. Just because you have the power, doesn't mean you have the right."

Ricky frowned. " But… regarder! See what they have done to you!"

" If you wreak revenge on them, you're no better than they are, mon fils," she said soothing his anger to a dull bitter feeling. " You are my more precious treasure. As long as you are safe, I don't care what happens to me."

Ricky felt tears fall from his eyes once more, realizing that her torment would not stop. She hugged her closer to her body, feeling herself heal.

"Ne pas perdre l'espoir, donner leur chronomètre, ils comprendront."

****

FLASHBACK ENDS

A small knock woke Ricky from his thoughts and he wiped his tears away. He opened his door and found Scott smiling down at him. 

" Hey Ricky."

" Hi, Mr. Summers," Ricky replied. Putting back his act. No one but his mother was supposed to know the true extent of his understanding. They were to only assume that he was a slow child.

" Call me Scott," Scott said. He liked Ricky, and wanted to know him better. ' Let me in, Ricky' he thought. ' I'm not as blind as everyone assumes I am'.

Ricky nodded. " Okay… Scott." He said smiling. 

" Your mother is going go through surgery pretty soon, and I have to be present. You want to come?" Scott asked, knowing fully that Ricky would agree to attend.

" Oui, sil vous plait." He said, his eyes lighting up. Scott smiled and opened the door wider. Ricky ran out the door and waited impatiently for Scott to reach him. " Come on!"

Scott chuckled and nodded. As they walked towards the MedLab, Scott decided to ask about Ricky's past. " Ricky, I noticed that you sometimes speak French… why is that?"

Ricky, being so ecstatic about seeing his mother again, didn't realize that his façade had melted and he was really showing Scott who he really was.

" My maman taught me French. She and I used to talk to each other in French because none of the guards were -" he stopped and realized that he had dropped his childish way of speaking.

" I see, my mom always told me and my brother Alex to learn another language," Scott said, still holding Ricky's hand. " Alex used to bribe me with candy to do his French homework. I took Spanish and he took French. Unfortunately for him, since I was always the one who did his homework, I was the one that acquired the skill."

" What happened to him?" Ricky asked, after he felt a bit of sadness from Scott.

" My family and I were in a plane crash. I was said to be the only one that survived," Scott explained. " I got a bit of damage to my brain, so I can't control my mutation."

Ricky felt a bit sad for the man and kept silent until Ororo joined their walk. " Hello there Ricky," she said. " How are you adjusting?"

Ricky smiled. " It's strange, but I like it. Everyone's nice… I'm just not used to all the people."

Scott frowned in confusion. " What do you mean? I thought you were sent to an orphanage when you were 6?"

Ricky shook his head. " Non, I was never in an orphanage until I the doctors sent me there for Maman to pick me up."

Ororo threw Scott a worried glance and excused herself as she went to the Professor's study. " What the hell are they thinking?" 

Ricky knew Scott whispered so that he wasn't supposed to hear, but he **did. **Ricky panicked as he remembered the he was bugged. He had to ditch his clothes and get new ones. If these people were capable of helping him and his mother, he wasn't just about to play dumb and let them get caught.

" Scott," he said as he tugged the man's shirt. " I need a piece of paper and a pen, sil vous plait. "

Scott looked at him strangely, but complied. They took a small detour towards a small room and found Logan staring into the operating room. Ricky had been in similar rooms before. Whenever his mother was sent to absorb another helpless mutant, he was forced to sit in a room with doctors observing the experiment. Ricky knew enough to know that the people in that room could not see through the mirror.

" Damn it Jean! She's not ready for this yet!" the man growled as he punched the plexi-glass. 

Ricky was waiting patiently for Scott to get the paper, but he found himself drawn to the angry man who seemed to radiate worry. 

" She's not fully recovered…" the man said softly. " I don't care what they say… she's not fit for operation…"

" Maman's strong. She'll pull through," Ricky said, offended by the man's lack of faith in his mother. " I've seen her pull through dozens of worse things than just one stupid operation."

Logan turned to him and blinked. He had chosen to stay in the MedLab ever since he stabbed Rogue, and had not left her side. He hadn't known that her child was already in the Institute.

" Who're-"

" Ricky? I got your paper," Scott said, handing Ricky a lined piece of paper and a marker. Logan was about to ask what he needed the paper for, until Ricky started writing a message on it. 

__

I think you should burn all my clothes.

' What the hell?' Logan thought. 

Scott put two and two together, realizing that Ricky must be suspicious of the doctors as well. He nodded and went to inform Professor Xavier.

" What the hell was that?" Logan asked. " Why-"

" Because they're probably contaminated," Ricky said, hoping Logan would get his hint. When a silence fell over them, Ricky shook his head and gave up. He decided to look through the glass and found two doctors carefully cutting behind his mother's neck.

" You know what kid? I don't care what those two say… this operation might just make it worse," Logan said, not bothering to sugar coat his words. " She was just stabbed, and now…"

" She's a fast healer," Ricky said as he leaned his forehead on the glass. 

Logan kept silent. They watched as Henry pulled out a small metallic object, about the size of a dime. Suddenly, there was an erratic beeping occurred and the two doctors found themselves in a state of panic, as Rogue's heartbeat became dangerously slow. Jean was about to get the necessary equipment to revive the girl when Rogue opened her eyes. 

They realized that Rogue was now awake and would soon feel the wound from the operation. Henry placed the metal restraints on, hoping her body would not convulse as the drugs wore off.

" Jean, give her more anesthetics!" Henry yelled, but Jean couldn't penetrate the girl's skin, and just ended up bending the needle. 

" What the hell is going on?!" 

They watched as Rogue began to search wildly around the room, looking around for anything familiar.

===============================================================

" So, Ricky believes that he was bugged?" Xavier asked as Scott sat patiently on one of the large chairs set up in his office. 

Scott nodded and hoped Xavier would just get moving. He was anxious to get back to the lab and see how the operation was going.

*Professor! *

Scott stood up as he heard Jean's cry. 'What the hell?' he wondered. Jean had her abilities in control, she wouldn't just call out of the blue unless-

"…Marie…" Scott whispered. He ran out of the office and hoped that nothing was wrong in the MedLab. He burst through the doors and found Ricky and Logan being restrained by Henry from entering the operating room. 

He found Marie thrashing wildly against the restraints. Screaming as tears fell from her eyes. 

" Richard?! Où vous l'avez pris?! Où avez-vous pris mon fils?!" she sobbed. (translation: Where is he? Where is my son?)

Scott translated it in his head and was about to get Ricky when Marie broke free of the metal restraints and ripped out all the IV cords and needles from her body. He noticed that the deep cuts clotted immediately. 

"Qu'avez-vous fait à mon fils?!" she asked looking at Henry with pure hatred in her eyes. "Je vous ai dit je coopérerais si vous n'avez pas nuire mon fils!" (translation: What have you done to my son? I told you I would cooperate if you didn't harm my son!)

Scott moved quickly as Henry started to levitate and choke. Ricky was crying as Jean grabbed a hold on him, taking a needle to calm the boy.

" Hank! No!" Scott said. " She only wants her son!"

" But we can't risk the child getting hurt!" Jean said, still keeping the needle in her hands. " He might be absorbed if he touches her!"

" I'm immune! I'm immune!" Ricky started shouting. Scott slapped Jean when she would not listen to the boy, and gently guided him towards the door.

Marie heard her son's voice and she stopped her hold on Scott. She let the man down and pushed her way through Logan and Jean to find Ricky in Scott's arms. Logan couldn't move. He had been frozen in place during the whole scene. 

" Ricky," she said softly, kneeling as Ricky ran smiling into her arms. " Ils vous ont endommagé?" (translation: did they hurt you?"

Ricky shook his head and smiled brightly. " Non, they-they saved me, Maman… don't you remember? Your friends?" he asked, unsure of what to say. 'Did they trick me? Is this another laboratory?'

Scott watched intently as Marie looked at them all. " I'm sorry for my outburst… but… I'm afraid I was disoriented…" she said, still kneeling on the cold floor. " I'm Rogue."

Henry looked at Jean, concerned about Rogue's welfare. Jean massaged her neck and in turn looked at Scott, who was starting to become an unhealthy shade of white.

" Rogue, we know who you are…" Jean said slowly. " Don't you remember us? We're your friends… the X-Men?"

Rogue shook her head and smiled sheepishly. " I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I don't remember much… about the past… what is it now? 10? 11 years?" 

*Scott? *

Scott looked around and found Rogue sitting on her operating bed. He came closer to the woman and found her expression moving from confused, to scared, to annoyed and back again. 

*Scott, are you there? *

" M-Marie?"

Rogue looked at Scott and for a brief moment, Scott saw recognition in her eyes. *Logan? Scott? Professor? Anyone? *

Rogue gasped in pain and clutched her head. As she looked at Scott, she whispered only one plea. " get the professor…"

====================================================================

****

Author's Note: It seems Rogue is always in pain… and unconscious… don't worry more explanations in the next chapter. This was pretty long…


	20. The Rogue

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Wow, this story is getting longer and longer by the chapter… I had originally intended this story to be only a few chapters long, but I kept getting more and more ideas… ^-^ Thanks for the support, I know its kind of a rocky plot, but bear with me! 

===========================================

Logan watched as Xavier and Jean tried to contact Marie within the Rogue. Somehow, there had been some complications when Henry had pulled out the TAG device from her spine. Ricky hadn't left Scott's side since his mother had let him go to try and clear her mind.

" You know, none of this would've happened if we didn't have that fight in the kitchen," Scott said sadly, as he looked at Logan. " If you hadn't accidentally stabbed her, she would've been the one to pick up Ricky and maybe there wouldn't have been as much pressure on Hank."

Logan growled as he stared at the leader of the X-Men. " Don't you put this all on me! You're the one that started the damn fight in the first place!"

Scott scoffed. " Me? You were the one who charged at me!"

" Well if you hadn't moved on Marie, I wouldn't have been pissed off are you!" Logan responded. 

" If you hadn't left, then maybe I wouldn't have!" Scott screamed.

Ricky stared at both men and shook his head. " Well, if I heard correctly, If Mr. Logan hadn't left then you wouldn't have seen Ms. Grey's disloyalty to you."

Both men stared at the 9-year-old and looked at each other. Jean wondered why they were acting so childishly, and Marie wondered what could've set them off.

Ororo knocked on the door and peeked inside. " Professor, I have Ricky's clothes."

Xavier nodded and smiled at Ricky. " Would you like to try them on?"

Ricky looked at Scott, who gently pushed him towards Ororo. The gesture wasn't lost on the group, and they wondered what Scott was to Ricky for him to even ask him for permission.

Jubilee glanced at Logan and lowered her head. The guilt was eating her up inside, and by the looks of things, Kitty wasn't any better. They had made things more complicated for three people, and now it seemed that it made things more complicated for a 9-year-old child. 

" What are we going to do?" Kitty whispered to Jubilee. " I mean, Scott's… Scott… you know he cares for her and he can take care of Rogue… Ricky seems to be attached to him already."

Jubilee nodded. " But what about Wolvie? Look at him."

Logan heard their conversation, and decided to set them straight. " It's not your choice in who Marie ends up with. Her heart isn't yours to give away."

The teens were wide-eyed and they nodded to the man. " You're right, sorry."

==============================================

Sabertooth waited patiently for a call from DeVillago. He had arrived at the mansion and was now hearing every conversation that was happening inside. 

' Can't believe they bugged everything the kid owned.' He thought. 'Talk about a breech of privacy'

"…Here you go Ricky, I hope these fit better than your old ones. What would you like to do about them?"

Sabertooth couldn't believe what he was hearing. 'Those idiots didn't check the right size?' he thought. 

" Maybe we could donate them to the orphanage?" 

Victor took out the phone and called DeVillago. He had a strange feeling that he might have to do his job earlier than planned.

================================================

Xavier wandered inside the depths of Rogue's complex consciousness and was at awe. The Rogue persona whom Xavier was not accustomed to walked beside him, guiding him through the hallways of her mind. Rogue had guaranteed his safety from the secrets beyond the closed doors, the ones Marie had placed to trap any wandering psyche that might overtake her mind.

As Xavier looked around, he realized that Rogue's mind was much like a fun house in a carnival. Only one door led to the exit and the rest were mean to draw your attention from it; leading you to an unending, inescapable labyrinth. Xavier pitied those who managed to get trapped within the maze and hoped the Marie persona, his beloved daughter, was just behind the right door.

"Professor, I must admit, whatever help you offered to her- me… is quite incredible," Rogue said as she admired the complexity of her defenses. " I assume that you taught her to keep things out, however… these seem to be made to keep things in."

Xavier had to admit that Marie improved upon the defense structures that he had taught her; making them an inescapable cage to those unwelcome, allowing her to delete and create things however she pleased. 

"Tell me, Professor," Rogue started calmly as they reached the defense's exit. The door that would lead them into Marie's past. " What if 'Marie' was permanently erased during the accident?"

Xavier shrugged. " Many will miss her, me included," he replied truthfully. " However, I am hoping that is not one of the many scenarios we may face."

Rogue nodded and opened the door. The room beyond the door was immense. It was like a library of videotapes; rows upon rows of memories stored neatly on the shelves. Xavier gasped as he saw Marie, watching as the 10 years of her life were replaying itself of the walls, reliving every nightmare she had as well as others' she had absorbed.

"Marie," Rogue called out.

The 17-year-old looked up and blinked away her tears to clear her vision. Standing before her was a woman with long auburn hair, experience clear in her eyes. She scrutinized the woman's outstretched hand, but took it nevertheless hesitantly.

"Rogue," she whispered, her voice trembling from fear and sorrow. " How do you do it?" she asked.

Rogue smiled and opened her arms widely, Marie leaned on the woman and sobbed. After a moment, Xavier had to shield his eyes from the light that occurred as soon as the two parted.

"Professor?"

He placed his hands down, finding only one woman before him. " Marie, my daughter," he said as he smiled at the woman. Her long auburn hair cascading down her back, her platinum bangs framing her beautiful face.

Marie chuckled and hugged Xavier, " I'm glad that's over with," she said, both waking up from their exhausting adventure.

========================================================

"So, like, what do we call you?" Kitty asked as Marie stared at her best friend. " I mean…do you want us to call you Marie or Rogue?"

Marie smiled. " I'd actually like it if you guys call me Rogue," she said. " It's nothing personal, I just… I feel its more of a nickname for me now."

Kitty grinned and nodded. " Like, sure!"

Jubilee tilted her head and looked at Ricky. " So… um, who's Ricky's father?" 

Marie laughed at Jubilee's flustered face as the team stared at her strangely. She motioned for Ricky to come towards her and she looked back at everyone.

" Richard Adler, my son, was conceived on the first year of my capture in Area 42," Rogue started. Scott watched her and made eye contact. She smiled as if to reassure him and continued. " My captor, Dr. DeVillago was one of the high people in society in Mississippi. Apparently they've known about my mutation a long time ago and was already keeping a close eye on me."

" Once my mutation finally kicked in and became permanently there, he decided to relocate me from above ground away from my foster parents and into the underground facilities where they made me absorb a lot of people," she continued, looking at Logan. " They said they wanted me to be the perfect weapon. Since their previous project, The Wolverine had escaped. And since I have a unique mutation, they decided to create someone who would be immune to my skin."

" So, they like thought you having a kid would be the answer?" Kitty asked.

Marie nodded as she held Ricky closer to her body. " Its actually fascinating, your child is immune to your powers, so if you, Kitty had a child, you wouldn't be able to phase through them, and they'd be immune to any powers similar to that of yours or your husbands'."

They nodded. " That still doesn't answer my question," Jubilee said, pouting slightly.

Marie chuckled. " I had Ricky through 'Invitro' or 'artificial insemenation'. My skin prevents any skin-to-skin contact, remember? I only began to learn control after five years. I had absorbed many since then, killed even more."

Scott walked towards her and rubbed her shoulders, trying to comfort her. " Its not your fault," he reminded. 

Marie nodded and a silence fell over the crowd. They had just been included in a part of Rogue's life that they hadn't even dreamed she had. 

" Hey, like why don't we lighten the tension by going to the carnival?" Kitty suggested.

Xavier nodded in approval. " I believe that would be a good idea! Jean, Ororo, get the X -van ready, we're going to the carnival…" then he stopped when he eyed Ricky. " Unless of course, Rogue, you'd rather rest, and we could bring Ricky with us?"

Ricky's eyes went wide. " Please Maman? Come, Please?"

Marie glared at Kitty but sighed when Scott gave her the puppy look. " Yeah, mom… please?"

Marie rolled her eyes and agreed in defeat. " Next time, I think we should just go someplace… less crowded," she said as they reached the carnival.

Scott laughed and took her hand as well as Ricky's. " Nonsense! The crowd is what makes a carnival fun!"

" Scott?" Marie asked

"Yeah?" he replied as he looked deep into her emerald eyes.

" You are so immature."

=====================================================

Author's Note: I was wondering whether anyone would be interested in me writing a prequel to this. Like a story that goes into more detail about Marie's capture and her 10 years in Area 42. If you don't like the idea, then I'm fine with it, I just wondered if anyone might be interested… 

It may be a bit confusing, but when Xavier's in someone's mind… let's just say its like a totally different world and in which he can walk. Okay?

And as for the Logan/Ororo thing… I just didn't want him to end up with Jean. I dunno why I don't like Jean… oh wait! Yeah I do! But it's a secret that I will keep with me to my grave!

^-^ The Rogue: To be continued…


	21. The Two Cupidsplus 3 helpers

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Thank you so much for all your reviews! I swear, I'll get on with the 'pre-quel' once I finish this story, it'll be like a flashback to what happened to her and ^-^ I'm so excited!

=========================================

Victor watched in the shadows as various vans pulled out of the mansion. He growled as he saw Wolverine's neutral-expression face driving a bent-down truck, much like the one he had first seen him in. 

" Hey boss-man, they're on the run," he said, still on the line with DeVillago. 

" Follow them. Grab 147 when you get the chance," the man replied.

"What about the kid?" Victor asked as he waited for the last van to come out. 

"…It's a bonus if you grab Hypno, but if you don't. It doesn't really matter."

Victor hung up on the man and began to follow the group inconspicuously. He was surprised to find that they were heading towards the carnival downtown. He parked farther from the black vans, but close enough to see who was inside them. 

The parking lot was dimly lighted, but it was fairly bright due to the full moon that shone overhead. He eyed the nearest van towards him and found the kid, Ricky as he climbed out along with a brown-haired kid, who looked to be about 13. 

" Come on, Marie!"

He turned towards the tall male driver, fixing his shades as he called out towards the woman in the passenger seat. Victor smirked as his target gracefully jumped from the van and walked towards the man and the child. 

" Did I ever tell you how impatient you are?" the woman asked as she took off her gloves and placed them in her back pockets. 

The man grinned and shook his head, winking at the child who held his right hand. " Not recently."

' This job is going to be a piece of cake,' Victor thought, creeping silently through the crowds, keeping close watch at his target.

=================================================

Marie smiled as they reached another booth. So far, Scott had been winning both Ricky and her toys with his impeccable aim. 

" Do you think it's cheating if you've had years of practice with targets?" she whispered softly in Scott's ear.

Scott grinned at her and maneuvered his arm around her waist before tipping her back and shooting a dart towards a yellow balloon. Ricky's eyes went wide as the dart burst the balloon with no problem. 

" It's their fault for making the games too easy," Scott said playfully, smirking smugly as Marie blushed. " I've won you almost every teddy bear in the carnival, mind giving me a kiss in return?"

Marie laughed in his arms as he swung her back upright. " You'd risk getting hurt just to get repaid?" she asked.

* But, Maman, you can control-*

Marie looked at her son and smiled as he realized that Scott hadn't figured that out yet. He saw the twinkle in her eyes and how carefree she was with Scott.

* Maman, is he going to become my daddy?*

Noticing the intense gaze Ricky sent Marie, Scott understood that they were having a private conversation. He let go of Marie's waist, bringing her back to reality. She touched his shoulder and gave him a look of concern.

" Is something wrong?" she asked.

Scott shook her head and smiled. " No, I just thought you and Ricky might want some time alone, you guys were talking."

"Oh, I'm sorry Scott," Marie replied as she hugged the man from behind, resting her head on the back of his shoulders. " I forgot that you knew… Ricky was just asking me a question."

Scott relished the feel of her body against his back. He grasped her arm and twirled around, so that she was before him instead of behind. 

" I don't mind much, after all, you were apart for a long time," he replied and eyed a cotton-candy stand behind her. " I'll get us some cotton candy, and you guys can talk."

Ricky beamed as he heard and saw the interaction between his mother and his first candidate for his father. ' He makes her so happy…' he thought.

" Maman?"

Marie smiled at him and nodded. " Oui?"

He took her ungloved hand and led her towards the bench. Ricky looked for Scott and found him watching them. Ricky gave him a slight wave, which he returned and sat with his mother.

" Is Scott going to be my daddy?" he asked as he gazed up into her emerald eyes. 'So full of life and hope' he noted.

Marie stared longingly at the brown-haired man. " I wish he would," she whispered. " But Jean-"

" Is perfectly happy to know that he's happy."

Turning towards the feminine voice, Marie was surprised to see Jean standing behind her, with a look of acceptance in her eyes.

"Jean?" she asked. " What-"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on you," she said and sat down next to Ricky, who was busy playing with his new videogame, courtesy of Scott Summers. " I realized a few months back that Scott wasn't paying special attention to me… and was in fact harboring pretty deep feeling for you."

Ricky looked up and saw Scott walking towards them, looking comical as he tried to juggle three sticks of cotton candy and a fairly large beverage. He chuckled and used his telekenesis with a mix of his ability to create illusions and levitated the large drink and a stick of candied cotton.

Jean was engrossed with explaining things to Marie to notice; Marie however, was giving Ricky a small smile. * That was a nice thing to do, Ricky*

" Thanks Jean," Scott said, smiling as he reached them. Marie hid her smile and pulled Ricky closer towards her. " I uh, bought just three-"

" Thanks for what?" Jean asked, not bothering to comment on his offer. Scott gazed at Ricky who shrugged cutely and went back to eating his candy. Jean shrugged and turned back to Marie. " Anyway, I think you should go for it. You deserve to be happy."

Scott took Jean's place in the bench as she left for the Ferris wheel. Jamie ran towards them and flashed Marie a wide grin. 

" Hi Ms. Rogue… I was wondering if… I could take Ricky to the Ferris Wheel?" the boy asked as he bobbed his head in anticipation.

Marie laughed and nodded. Ricky smiled widely and ran towards the large revolving wheel. Marie was always fond of Jamie; they had the same problems, hating crowds since they had no control over their mutations. ' I wonder if I can legally adopt that kid?' she wondered. Jamie's parents didn't seem too happy to know he was a mutant and she seemed to be the only 'adult' he was fond of.

Scott sat back on the bench and sighed. " You want to go with them?" he asked as he stared at Marie. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

" Nope," she replied, amused as Scott's face fell. 'Probably planned on hitting on me' she thought, laughing as he stuck out his lower lip.

" Please?" he begged. " I'll even go to the bumper cars you wanted me to go."

Marie put a finger on her bottom lip and tilted her head, pretending to think, then stuck out her ungloved hand. Scott, trusting Marie with anything, shook her hand with his ungloved one as well.

'So she **can** control it,' he thought. ' Well, now I can give her that dress I bought for her a few months ago…'

=======================================================

Jamie and Ricky sat on one of the chairs and stared at the people below as they slowly rolled towards the top. Jamie liked hanging out with Ricky, he felt like a big brother. ' Big bro Jamie… that sounds cool' he thought.

" You think my mom and Scott will end up together?" Ricky asked the thirteen-year-old.

Jamie shrugged. " I hope so. Ms. Rogue seems happier with him, that's for sure," he replied as he searched for the said couple.

" You know, I wish you were my brother," Ricky said as he leaned back. " Its not much fun playing matchmaker without an accomplice."

Jamie grinned and got a mischievous gleam in his eyes. " I know what you mean. It'd be cool being your big bro… we could set Mr. Summers up with your mom no problem!"

"So why don't we?" Ricky asked, rocking the chair as he turned towards Jamie. " We could push them to go to the funhouse with us, and then ditch them in there!"

Jamie nodded and gave Ricky a high five. " I could get used to this!" he said as they laughed together. When they got down, they saw Bobby, Jubilee, Kitty and the rest of the X-team waiting to get a ride. Ricky saw Marie with Scott at one of the seats near the top.

"Hey, could we get them stuck up there for a while before we ditch them in the funhouse?" Ricky asked.

Kitty and Jubilee overhead Ricky and they walked towards the two. " What's this about getting people stuck up there?" Jubilee asked, holding Bobby's hand. 

" Well, Ricky here wants Mr. Summers as a dad, and as is 'big bro'… I'm helping him!" Jamie said, grinning widely.

Kitty smiled. ' I've never seen Jamie this happy since Rogue took him to the movies…' she thought. " We'll help you!"

Jubilee stared at Kitty who was jumping up and down. " Come on, like you guys can like distract the guy over there, I can phase through and like… you know… cut the wires!"

Ricky grinned at the brunette. " I can create an illusion for you guys to have the perfect cover!"

" What?" Jamie asked. " You have powers too?"

Ricky nodded. " I was called Hypno, because I can hypnotize people, but I also have super senses, telepathic and telekinetic abilities."

"Four in one? Not fair!" Bobby whined. " I can only freeze myself and make snowballs!"

Jamie laughed and accidentally bumped into a pole, creating a double. " Oops."

They shared a small group laugh and sobered up. " Okay, in three seconds, I'm going to make an illusion of a tiger chasing the two of you, and only that guy can see, so scream loudly for him to turn around," Ricky commanded.

" In the meantime," Jamie said. " Me, myself and I will keep people from going on the Ferris Wheel."

Just as Ricky had said, in three seconds, Jubilee and Bobby were screaming as a large tiger began to chase them. The ride operator wondered why no one was trying to help, so he ran after the two teenagers and tried to flag down a couple of his staff to help him capture an invisible tiger.

Kitty phased through the machine and pulled a couple of wires. 'That should take a few minutes to fix,' she thought.

"Alright you two," Kitty started, giving them both a fake disapproving look. " Have fun and like, tell me when they decide to kiss okay?"

Ricky looked disgusted and shivered. " Ew. I hope I don't see that until the wedding."

Jamie laughed and nodded. " I doubt that it would take that long."

============================================================

Victor laughed at the kid's prank and thought of a plan as soon as he heard their next plot to set the X-Men's leader up with his target.

" The funhouse…" he said out loud. " People could get lost in there…"

=========================================================================

****

Author's Note: Hey all! Thanks so much for all the reviews! I know its not much action, but I'm getting there! Slowly but surely! So what do you guys think? Since this is a fiction story, I can twist people's pasts and stuff to create a better plot... so do you think Jamie should be part of their happy family? I mean… I seriously like the kid in Evo. He's like my brother!

Let Jamie join Ricky and Marie? Yes? No?


	22. A Kiss

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Thanks for all your support and your reviews! I hope you continue reading it, the prequel will come out soon, well as soon as I finish 'The Rogue' at least.

================================================

Screams filled the night air as the carnival Ferris wheel suddenly became stuck; with Scott's luck, he and Marie were stuck at the highest point. 

" What just happened?" Marie asked as she calmed herself. ' You can fly, genius!' she thought. She was about to tell Scott just that, when she remembered that they were with non-mutants. ' Can't risk it' she thought. 

Scott looked over at his side and found Ricky and Jamie next to the controls, as well as Kitty. He grinned and flashed them a thumbs-up, doubtful that they even saw it. ' Thanks for the permission, kid' he thought.

Marie started shivering as a breeze blew past them. Nights were always her favorite. Were being the key word, before nightmares came, the night had been her favorite time. Scott smiled at his opportunity and took off his jacket and placed it on her.

" Thanks," she replied, smiling at his gesture. " Beautiful moon. You don't see many ringed full moons these days."

Scott looked up and nodded. They were oblivious to the fact that they were inching closer to each other by the second. The next thing Scott knew was Marie resting comfortably in his arms. Her head was comfortable leaning on the space between his neck and his shoulders. Sighing, they both watched the moon.

Back on the ground, Jamie and Ricky gave each other high five's as they saw them, with the help of binoculars. 

=========================================================

Ororo dragged Logan towards the Ferris Wheel, knowing the man wouldn't try to have fun even if he wanted to. She saw the whole scene between Jamie, Ricky and the other new recruits. 

'About time' she thought as she looked at where the two boys were, spying with their military binoculars.

Logan saw Ororo staring at the sky and tried to locate just what she was looking for. Then, with the help of his enhanced senses, he saw Marie and Scott in a position he had wanted to be in for the longest time. 

He growled, getting Ororo's attention. " What the-"

" Logan," she started gently. " She's all grown up now, let her live her life."

He shook his head, sighing in defeat. " Look, 'Ro. I regret leaving…" he started looking at Ororo's eyes, noticing how deep brown they were. " I'm just getting used to not havin' her… I can't stand this…"

The regal woman smiled softly and placed a caring hand on his shoulders. " Rogue is lucky to have you as a friend," she said. 

Logan chuckled and placed his hand over hers. " I just wish, I could've kept something of hers… without getting drained and not remembering it."

Ororo nodded, understanding what he was implying. " Do not worry, my friend," she said smiling. " The funhouse always cures all ailments!"

=============================================================

Ricky let the illusion die down and they waited until he came to fix the machine. Kitty had sworn that she had just cut two or three major wires. Jamie had assured Ricky that they'd be able to get his mom down without having to reveal her as a mutant.

" Hey, what happened here?" the man asked as he ran back. 

" My mom's stuck up there!" Ricky cried, acting worried to cover their hide from being caught. 

The man opened the box with his special key and wondered how three wires were cut. He re-wired the machine and soon, the Ferris wheel was in working condition.

*Told ya * Jamie thought, using Ricky's telepathy to his advantage.

Ricky grinned and waited for Scott's car to reach the bottom. 

" So should we convince them to go to the funhouse?" Jamie asked. " Should we split them up and make them meet each other at a certain point?"

" Yeah, I'll get my mom and ask her to go to the funhouse, but I'll go the washroom!" Ricky said, eyes gleaming with pictures of him, Jamie, his mom and Scott in a happy family. 

" I'll tell Scott that I want a drink and then when I see you ditch Ms. Rogue in front of the funhouse, I'll tell Scott that I want to go there too!" he replied.

"Then we could run past them, making them chase us in, then…" Ricky stopped. " How do we make sure they come out, and **we** come out?"

Jamie flashed the boy with a wide toothy grin. " I know the secret to these things. Besides, with a dozen of me, we can get out in 1/12th of the time!"

=====================================================

Marie felt empty, yearning for warmth as she parted from Scott, getting off the car. She stared at Scott's back longing to be back in his arms. Scott, felt almost identical; only longing for more than just the warmth that they had in those few minutes up in the sky. 

He felt the void inside his heart being filled every time he was with Marie, and he hoped that she felt the same for him. He turned around and smiled as he saw Marie looking at him, her eyes full of the emotion he felt inside him. They stood, gazing in each other's eyes, until two rowdy boys came barreling towards them.

" Maman!"

"Mr. Summers!"

Marie blushed shyly, turning slightly from him. Ricky hugged Marie's and smiled as he looked at Scott. Scott winked at the boy and mouthed a small 'thank you'. 

* No problem* he replied mentally.

Scott was about to retort when Jamie tugged on his sleeve. Looking at the grinning 13-year-old, Scott ruffled his brown hair and smiled.

" What's up?" Scott asked lightly, placing a paternal arm on Jamie's shoulders.

" Can I get a drink?" he asked innocently.

' Too innocently,' Scott thought. He nodded and followed the boy, who broke into a sprint. He turned towards Marie and shrugged; running off to catch up to the teenager after. 

Marie laughed at Scott's actions and placed her full attention to Ricky, who was smiling broadly.

" You like him," he stated in a sing-song voice.

" No I d- Okay… maybe a bit," she admitted holding up her index finger and thumb about an inch apart from each other. 

They both laughed and sat on the nearby bench. " So, where do you want to go next?"

" Funhouse!"

---------------------------------------------------------

Scott stared, hypnotized by Marie's melodious laugh. Her every movement made Scott's heart do flips.

" You like her don't you, Mr. Summers?" Jamie asked, as he took a sip of his milkshake. 

Scott blushed and turned around. " I-I well…"

Jamie chuckled. " If I was Ricky or even Ricky's brother, I'd approve. She deserves happiness," he said. " She's definitely happy when she's around you."

Before Scott could reply, Jamie broke into a sprint-again. He barely had the time to react to Jamie's spontaneous action, but ran not far behind. He noticed Ricky dash into the funhouse where Jamie followed. Marie was about to run in as well, but Scott took a strong hold on Marie's arm.

" You think they're playing Cupid?" she asked, seeming to understand why he held her back.

Scott shrugged playfully. " Well, I don't know… is it working?" he asked, smiling slightly.

Marie laughed before she pressed her forehead against his. " You know what? I think it is…"

Slowly, Scott tilted Marie's chin upwards, making her lips touch his lightly, giving her a light, innocent kiss. Marie closed her eyes and placed her arms around Scott's neck and responded as he deepened the kiss. After a few seconds, they parted, slightly out of breath.

" **GO MR. SUMMERS!**"

A few applauds and whistles rang in their ears. Marie blushed, biting her lower lip as Scott took her hand in his. They found Ricky and Jamie giving each other high-fives in the funhouse entrance.

" You know, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of one of their pranks," Scott commented.

Marie nodded in agreement. " You got to love them though," she replied.

" Shall we?" Scott asked, holding out his arm like a perfect gentleman. Marie, raised as a proper Southern Belle, took it politely and smiled modestly.

" With pleasure."

=========================================================

**Author's Note: Hey all! You wanted a little action between them, here they are! ^-^ I know some of you guys really wanted Gambit in this whole thing, but I don't really want to complicate it even further. If you guys want to know who the involuntary donor was for the artificial insemenation, read the prequel. Coming up once The Rogue is finito!**


	23. Ambushed by An Overgrown Cat

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Hey all! Your reviews were wonderful!

Okay, Girl Number 1: If you really want to know… the biological father is: I haven't really made up my mind on who it is… sorry to disappoint you.

I really wanted to make a Marie/Logan story, but I ended up going with a Cyclops/Rogue story… which I'm totally enjoying writing. Besides, I'm like on a roll and I'm close to almost being done… 

T-T I can't please everyone… even tho I wish I could.

========================================

"Jamie?"

The brown haired teenager spun around and found Marie smiling at him, her emerald eyes shining with hope and friendship. He had liked the woman from the minute she had said 'hi' to him, and felt even closer to her now that she knew her past. 

" Hi Ms. Rogue," he said sheepishly, hoping she wasn't too mad about the little prank he and Ricky had played.

Marie frowned playfully and ruffled his hair. " Call me Rogue, or just Marie. Miss makes me sound too old," she said as she walked alongside the boy.

" You didn't happen to see Ricky did you?" Jamie asked, looking around, seeing his reflection everywhere he turned. He was used to seeing himself, but being in a funhouse reminded him more of the control that he lacked. 

Marie seemed to pick up on his sudden change of mood. " Look Jamie, I know you think you might never control your mutation. It took me almost seven years to control mine. But you're still young, and I find that the younger you are the more adept you are at learning things," she started. " If you want, I can try and help you control your mutation, like I did mine."

Jamie's eyes shone as he looked up into her emerald ones. He nodded and gave her a hug. " Thanks… Ms. Marie."

Marie wrinkled her nose, but laughed nonetheless. " It's a start."

================================================

Ricky used his abilities to try and find Jamie, only to find himself even more confused than he already was. ' How ironic, I make illusions and here I am trapped in one.' He thought. 

"Ricky?"

He turned around and wondered if that was truly Scott or just a reflection off of another mirror. 

" Scott?" he asked.

Scott walked towards him and smiled. " Hey buddy, you haven't seen Marie have you? I kind of lost her back there…"

Ricky shook his head, but smiled. " I'm sure she's with Jamie. They'll be fine. I'm more worried about us, how are we going to get out of here?" 

They looked around and sighed. " I didn't get the chance to ask… you were the one, who helped me with the cotton candy, weren't you?"

Ricky was silent, contemplating whether he should tell Scott right out, or keep dropping hints. 

" Don't worry," Scott started, placing a comforting hand on the boy's shoulders. " I won't tell anyone if you don't want them to know yet. Does your mom know?"

" Yeah, she was the one who told me to lay low and make sure to act less than my age," Ricky said as he walked towards one of the hallways, hoping that it was the right one. " It kept the doctors from experimenting on me since they figured I would never get full control of my powers."

" What… what does your mom have?" Scott asked, eyeing the exit sign just ahead of them.

" Well, mom never tells me much, but I know… the doctors kept me in a room while they made her absorb people. I never told her…" Ricky whispered. " She keeps a strong face for me… but all the while she's being forced to kill."

Scott froze as he heard the word 'kill'. " Kill?"

Ricky nodded sadly. " Dr. DeVillago projects his true intentions, never realizing that I'm a telepath too… he says he wants to make the perfect defense mechanism for humans, but he intends to use my mom to take over."

"- She's almost invincible," Ricky continued. " I'm the only one who can stop her… since I'm immune to her imprinting powers."

Scott frowned. " So… DeVillago intends to take her back?"

" She's the perfect assassin, Scott… trained to kill and has the powers to do so."

' When I get my hands on that brute, he'll wish he never set his eyes on my Marie!' Scott thought bitterly.

==========================================================

Victor stayed quiet as he fingered the cloth in his hands. Pouring ethylene all over the white handkerchief, he waited for his target. As soon as he saw the woman's auburn hair, he pounced on her, hoping the ethylene would work quickly.

Unfortunately, he hadn't known that Marie had 10 years of combat training and then some. She began to roll on the ground and kicked Victor off of her. He stumbled a bit as he was thrown back some, but ran swiftly towards Marie. She did a double back flip to gain some distance from the blond man, but lost her footing on the ramp.

Victor attacked as soon as he saw her disadvantage. In his haste, he hadn't seen the boy and bumped into him, creating duplicates of the teenager. He jumped behind her and took a pair of adamantium cuffs and bound her wrists behind her back. He placed the cloth over her mouth and nose and ran off.

Jamie was a bit disoriented, but saw the whole thing. He cursed his lack of combat knowledge and began to shout after the man.

" Come back here! **Ms. Rogue**!"

The original Jamie started running after Sabertooth, but he was too slow. The others went separate ways, hoping to find one of the older X-Men. 

He found Scott and Ricky as they neared the exit. One of the Jamies ran towards them before the duplicating effect wore off.

" Mr. Summers! A big hairy guy took Ms. Rogue!"

Scott's mouth went into a grim thin line. His jaw clenched with anger and he turned on one of the communicators attached to his wrist. 

" X-Men, we've got an emergency! Meet at the funhouse immediately!"

=========================================================

Marie tried to struggle with all her might, she knew she had the power to get away from Sabertooth, but the ethylene was making her so dizzy. 

' Fly you idiot!' she thought. Ignoring the blackness that was about to take over her, she flew into the sky, hoping that Sabertooth would let go.

Victor neared his truck, and felt the ground disappear from his feet. He held on the woman with all his might and snarled.

" Stupid woman!" he growled. " You're going back to DeVillago and I'm going to get my wife back! Do you hear me!?"

Marie shook her head, trying to clear her vision. Victor smirked as he felt them losing altitude. ' Wake up, dammit! Don't fall asleep! Stupid woman!' Marie thought. ' Wake up…don't…-'

Victor maneuvered his way in the air and made sure that the woman wasn't injured. DeVillago had specifically said that no injury should be placed on his perfect soldier. 

He chuckled and looked back at the carnival, he saw Wolverine rushing towards him. ' Well dog-breath, you want your woman back? Come get her.'

" You worthless son of a-"

With a growl, Logan unsheathed his claws and aimed for Victor's ribcage, which Victor easily dodged. Unlike the Canadian, Victor wasn't given an impermeable skeleton, however, he was still just as dangerous. 

Victor swiped at Logan with his talons and managed to create a scratch on Logan's chest, which healed almost immediately. Logan gave him a hard aerial kick to the face. Victor stumbled back a little and took a quick glance at his cargo.

'Still asleep. Good' he thought. ' She's my bargaining chip…'

While Victor was distracted, Logan yelled out for the Professor in his mind. Hopefully, backup would come soon. 

" No use Doggie," Victor cooed sarcastically. " Even if you got her, what makes you think DeVillago won't stop?"

" Besides, I don't think you're the man she's after now…" 

Logan flinched at his words and growled. 

" Logan!"

Victor chuckled as he saw the X-Men running towards them. He fingered his back pocket and took out a small grenade. 

' See? These are slightly useful…'

Taking the pin off, he threw the egg shaped contraption right near Logan's feet. It exploded in contact and blew Logan towards the rest of his team. Victor acted quickly and made his escape. A read beam shot at the back of his truck and burned a hole through the trunk, but he didn't care.

" Scott! You could've killed Rogue!" Jean yelled.

Scott glared angrily at Jean. " What was I supposed to do? Why didn't you use your telekinesis to lift the damn truck!?"

Jean stammered. Ororo placed a hand on both of them and shook her head. " Fighting won't solve anything. Right now, we need to get back to the mansion."

Jamie and Henry were treating Logan and the carnival was cancelled as soon as the explosion occurred. Many of the innocent bystanders were rushing to their cars, screaming as they drove off. 

Ricky felt his tears stinging his eyes. Scott sighed, and placed a hand on him. Ricky turned around and looked up at Scott, his glasses glowing red.

" We'll get her back," Scott said tightly.

Ricky nodded, trusting in Scott. *I know you will * he said mentally, forgetting that there were other telepaths present. 

Jean and Xavier looked at each other and stared at Ricky's retreating form. They followed Scott's example and went into their vans, rushing to the mansion to think up a plan. 

=============================================================

Marie opened her eyes and sat up abruptly, immediately regretting the action. 'Why is it I always wake up with a headache?' she wondered.

" Welcome back, my dear."

Her eyes widened and turned towards the voice. " DeVillago," she spat. She looked around and found herself in a white room with operating utensils laid neatly on the trays beside her.

" What do you want from me now!?" she demanded, her voice low and venomous.

DeVillago chuckled and brushed off a stray hair from her face. She flinched away from his grasp, slightly angering the man. He grabbed her jaw and forced her to look at him.

" Do not test me, my dear," he said. " I merely wanted to tell you that the project is nearly complete."

Marie spat in his face and snarled. " I'd rather die than be your pawn again! You can't do anything to me!"

DeVillago scoffed. " You really believe that, my dear?" he asked. " After all, now that I'm running for Mayor, I'm a highly respected man with ties to the President. Do you really believe that I won't be able to track down your little Institute?"

" A school for mutants… what a lovely place to find new lab mice," he continued.

Marie tried to lash out at him, only to find herself chained to the table; having only a certain distance to move around. 

" You bastard!" she screamed. " You're not worth the soul God gave you!"

DeVillago laughed harshly. " God? My dear girl, in my lab… I **am** God."

He turned and opened the doors, leaving the girl chained to the table. Marie struggled against her chains and laughed bitterly.

' What kind of an assassin gets kidnapped?' she thought sourly. She looked around to find anything to get her out. 

=======================================================

****


	24. Loathing and Experiments

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: RogueDragon5, yeah I know I said it was Sabertooth… but I change my mind… I don't really know who the father is now, I'll think about it when the time comes. By the way: Make sure to check out author: So Deeply In Love, who's making an alternate ending to The Rogue. 

Girl Number 1: thank for all the suggestions! Be sure to know that Gambit will be in the prequel along with some familiar faces and a lot of new ones.

Yuriko: Pirates of the Caribbean? I've been dying to see it! Too bad I don't have moolah.

============================================

Xavier sat in Cerebro for nearly 18 hours, trying to locate Rogue, with no relief. His temples throbbed and his body couldn't last any longer. The more he forced himself to stay in the machine, the more his mind ached for a break. 

Tears sprung into his eyes as he sighed in defeat. He took his helmet off, and wheeled himself out of the room. 

Tired faces greeted him as the doors slid open. Logan looked as if he had been tortured, his hair disheveled, he was slouched, making him look more his age. Jean looked as if she lost all hope; her eyes were vacant from looking at computers all day, trying to locate labs through government files. Ricky was silent; he neither ate nor talked… just… sat waiting patiently for news.

Jamie was constantly bumping into things, making duplicates of him that bumped into other things. However, Xavier was more concerned about Scott. He was in a dark state of depression, violent and temperamental. He'd been beating himself with guilt and self-loathing, drinking while he constantly cleaned the Blackbird. 

" How's Scott?" Xavier asked. 

Jean shook her head in dismay. " He's still in the garage. He's down to the last bottle in the Institute," Jean rasped. " He hasn't eaten in a week."

" Who gives a rat's ass about Scott?!" Logan growled at Jean, glaring at her, feeling bitter that she could have saved Marie… but she didn't. " Marie has been kidnapped, we don't know where the fuck in Mississippi she is, and all you give a damn about is that fucking stiff with a stick up his ass!"

Jean hung her head and tears stung her eyes. " I didn't-"

" That's right you didn't!" Logan yelled, clenching his fists, venting his anger at the red headed doctor. " You had the power to stop them…" 

Logan turned around and stomped off, looking for a drink. Ororo sighed as she came in the room, almost bumping into Logan. 

" Professor, sorry to interrupt, but the students are getting quite testy… mostly Jubilee, Kitty and Bobby," the African Goddess said. " And we all would wish to know the news…"

She eyed Ricky who was just sitting patiently in one of the chairs. Ororo felt for the boy, hoping they would find his mother soon. 

' So young, he shouldn't be facing these types of situations…' she thought.

" Storm, would you please go and console Logan… I believe this is a hard time for him as well," Xavier said. " We need everyone in their best, in case we get a sign that Rogue is still in Mississippi."

=========================================================

Scott coughed and took another swig from the bottle. ' One week' he thought bitterly, scrubbing the wing of the jet. ' One fucking week in hell.' 

He sat on the Blackbird in nothing but his black silk boxers. He hadn't slept for days, hadn't eaten, and hadn't had contact with the rest of the school… nothing.

He remembered, at one point in his life… he had wished that his mutation could be controlled, that he would be able to see colors, and not just hues of red. Now, he just wished that he would be able to see Marie's face again, feel her lips on his, feel her body in his arms… feel her smooth skin and her soft hair. 

' I'd give anything to see her again,' Scott thought as he brought the bottle of beer to his lips.

As he finished the rest of the bitter liquor, he threw it over his shoulders, taking pleasure in hearing them smash on the ground, like the countless others he threw over the week. He knew it wasn't healthy to drink so much, especially if he didn't have the healing factor that Logan did.

" Scott?"

Scott turned around, his heart soaring with hope. " Mar-" he stopped and frowned as he saw Jean, standing below the jet, holding a tray of food. 

" Come down, have a sandwich," she coaxed. " You must be starving… you haven't eaten all week."

Scott ignored the woman's voice. It was funny, how the woman he had thought he loved, turned out to be the woman he now loathed. The one person Scott knew could save Marie was Jean. She was telekinetic, she had enough control to lift that truck… but she didn't.

' Why is that?' he wondered out loud, knowing Jean would be able to hear it, 'Why didn't you save Marie?'

Jean bit her lip and sagged. She placed the tray on the floor and backed away. Scott turned around and asked it again, only louder and to Jean instead of just thinking it. 

" Why didn't you, _Doctor_?" Scott said bitterly, out loud this time, when she refused to answer him. " I thought being a paramedic meant that you _saved_ lives… not let them slip through your grasp."

Scott waited impatiently as she stopped in front of the door. She opened the doors and slipped through. Scott growled in anger, climbing down the jet swiftly.

*You wanted her to be caught didn't you? * Scott thought. *You selfish, prudish, whore! *

*That is quite enough, Scott * Xavier's voice said, filling his mind. *Jean feels just as bad as well all do… *

Scott kept silent, clenching his jaws as bitter tears streaked down his chiseled face. He blocked the professor from his mind and concentrated on Jean. *Some friend **you** are * he thought bitterly.

He walked through the garage shoeless, ignoring the pain as he stepped over the broken beer bottles as he went. He didn't even take the sandwich, but he continued to walk. 

" Scott?"

He stopped and turned to the voice and found Ricky with disbelief in his eyes. Scott closed his eyes and took off his glasses, rubbing his eyes angrily as tears fell.

Ricky ran towards the man and enveloped him in a hug. " Don't waste away, Maman needs you to be strong…"

Scott choked as he sobbed silently, kneeling towards the 9-year-old boy, holding him in his arms. Xavier and the rest of the people who were in the hallways, stopped and sympathized with them. Scott clenched his eyes and took a deep breath. He stood up and gave Ricky and mental 'thank you' and made his way towards his room.

Jean had witnessed the interaction between them from behind one of the walls. ' Why didn't I try to save Rogue?' she wondered, guilt eating at her conscious. 

She wandered towards the porch and found Logan smoking, leaning on his bike. " Logan?"

He ignored her and kept puffing away. " I'm waiting for Ororo," he said gruffly. " Might as well say something to someone before I leave."

Jean felt his words stab her. " Look, I-"

Logan stopped her and shook his head. " Just tell Ororo that I'm heading down to Mississippi. I can't stand here and wait until we find out whether they killed her or brainwashed her," he said, throwing his cigar as he saddled his bike. " Make sure you tell her now. Say goodbye to Ricky for me."

"Logan, I-"

" Would you just go and tell 'Ro already?" Logan snapped. " What happened back there with Marie happened. Y'could've stopped her but ya didn't, so now we're here."

" That isn't fair!" Jean retorted. 

Logan turned back to her. " Why isn't it?" he asked harshly. " Face it Jeannie, everyone's onto you. They know you're not who they thought you were. Forget trying to get on my good side. I lost Marie 'cause of you, and I ain't losing her to some psychopath _doctor_ again."

He started the engine and revved off. Jean did as she was told and Ororo nodded. 

" You couldn't have stopped them," Ororo said quietly, hoping to console the hurting woman. " They're just bitter… they lost someone dear to them."

" Professor Xavier was close to her too, you don't see him biting my head off," Jean snapped. " I don't even know why I didn't… I could've…"

" I just kept thinking… Scott…" Jean whispered, tears coursing down her face. " I kept thinking how my life would be perfect if she wasn't there… and now…"

" She's gone…"

==========================================================

Marie closed her eyes, deleting psyches in her head and re-organizing her thoughts and her powers. She wandered through her 'files' to see which power could be of use in her escape. 

" My dear, have you thought of our proposal?" 

Marie's head shot up and she faced DeVillago, who was on the other side of the plexiglass. They had transferred her from the experimenting room to a padded observation cell. 

" I'd rather burn in hell!" she spat out.

She felt like a lunatic, in a straight jacket lined with adamantium chains; her arms tied to prevent her from escaping. They didn't know about her control five years ago, they still didn't, but her original powers were of no use to her. They knew about her skin and were extra careful to be clothed, especially since they no longer had a collar to keep her restrained.

" That can be arranged," he said. 

Marie looked around and found nothing that would aid her escape. 'If only I was invisible… or I could…phase…' she cursed under her breath. 'The one time I need Kitty kat, she's not here…'

Rogue knew that Xavier would never find her with Cerebro unless she used her imprinting abilities. She needed to convince one of the guards to somehow take their clothes off…

She eyed the movements beyond the glass and found DeVillago taking a call. ' I wonder who from' she thought. He took a look at her and smirked arrogantly before leaving the room and placing a metal shield to protect the room if ever the glass was broken.

' Perfect' Marie thought. She eyed the door to her left and found the slots where the guards could see her with. ' Time to put my acting skills to test…'

========================================================

"What was so important that you had to take me out of a session?" DeVillago asked one of the scientists.

" Sir, we've got the media contacted with LaTonya's secrets. They should be aired within minutes," replied a tall blond woman. " And a Mister Logan has called in to ask about our facilities."

DeVillago turned to the woman. " Logan?" he asked.

The woman nodded. " He says he wishes to know what our cause is about, to donate money… I believe were his exact words."

' Logan… project 'wolverine'…' 

" Karen… you just earned yourself a raise," he replied. He then walked towards the stairs and smiled at the woman brightly. " Meet me at my apartment at eight… make sure to wear something… tight."

Karen blushed and nodded. " Oh, sir? What of your other appointments?"

" Cancel them… I'm off to meet LaTonya and to accept my new role as the Mayor of this…" he started. " County."

Karen nodded and rushed off to grab her things.

' Once I'm mayor, I can finally expand this lab… finally rid the world of these filthy _homo sapien sapiens_' he mused. As he reached the elevators, the chuckled softly. " After all, who would ever think to blame the mayor of such a drab little town?"

=========================================================

The Guards looked into the slots as Marie anticipated. They opened the door and placed a tray before her. One of the guards winked at her and she gave him her best seductive grin. 

" Sugah, would you mind if you loosened these?" she asked motioning for her jacket. " I got an itch and… well since my hands are tied up at the moment, would you mind doing it for me?"

The black haired man looked back to his partner who grinned pervertedly. He unzipped her jacket and revealed a white spaghetti strap tank top. 

'Damn it… gloves' Marie said. 

The man scratched her neck and she sighed appreciatively. " Sugah, Its still there, mind using y'nails?"

The guard was too engrossed with her chest to think; he took off his gloves and started to scratch her neck again.

'Bingo'. 

As soon as the man had touched her, he began to convulse as his memories, his life energy… everything was being absorbed. Marie stopped the flow enough to make sure he was still alive. His partner, was so shocked, her left the man in the room but locked the door tightly. 

Marie used her telekinesis to retrieve the keys for the jacket. 'Thank you Jesse, you always prove to be my best friend' she thought. She levitated the key towards the slot located on the back of the jacket. Soon, the sleeves dangled on her sides and she was able to wriggle free. 

" Corey?"

'Shit' she thought as the guard began to wake up. ' Now what?'

She knew the other guard was now calling backup. 'Where's Mystique's powers when you need them?' she thought bitterly.

She tripped on the jacket's top and cursed as she hit the floor, hearing a wooden 'thud'. She mentally thanked the jacket and tied the top around her waist, disabling any possibilities of it getting in her way. 

Using her acquired super-human strength, she ripped the padding off the walls and tapped the wood, to see if it was hollow or not. Hearing a satisfying sound of an 8-inch wall, she smiled and thanked the fallen man.

She broke through the wall easily, but not silently. She floated inches from the floor, hoping her stealth would get her out of the labs faster. She used the guard's memories to see where the exit would be located. Nearing the password- encrypted door, she froze, hearing the sound of a lone applause.

" You passed with flying colors," DeVillago stated proudly. " Now, its time for your mission."

=========================================================

**Author's Note: RogueDragon5: ^-^ um, sorry if I confused you, I just… well I wanted the father to be Sabertooth to prevent any problems that might occur if I said Wolverine… she'd have a harder time to choose between Scott and Logan. But then, it also occurred to me that Victor/Sabertooth in my story has a wife… and so it can't be Rogue that he's paired up with.**

The Rogue: To Be Continued… 

****


	25. News & Captures

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: You guys should read 'Callous' by RandiRogue… man… that is pretty deep s*** very angsty…

Gotta warn you people… the contents in this chapter is not like the others I've written so far… people WILL die, not telling who… just be prepared for death, violence and a lot of fighting. 

================================================

__

"-small town mayor has been placed in jail as the media uncovered shocking news about his part in the mutant attack just last January"(*)

Jamie sat upright and turned up the volume, catching most of the student's attention. The television then changed scenery as they were shown footage of the uproar. A blond man who looked about the age of 20 or 22 holding a large microphone stood before them.

__

" Here we are at Cadlecott County where the previous small town mayor, Rodgerick has been cuffed and arrested at his own public rally," he announced_. " As the previous mayor was about to uncover his latest achievements to make the town a better, cleaner district, the SWAT team arrived to arrest him of aiding Mr. Eric Lehnsherr, a mutant known as Magneto in creating a machine that would wipe out the entire _homo sapien sapien_ race."_

" Dr. Samuel DeVillago, Rodgerick's only competition in next month's election has been officially named Mayor by default."

Jamie's eyes widened, remembering a few conversations he had with Ricky about Samuel DeVillago. 

" Like, wow… isn't Cadlecott where like, Rogue used to live?" Kitty asked as she hugged her knees, bringing them up on the couch. " That's like a totally freaky coincidence!"

Jamie shook his head. " No it's not, Kitty! Samuel DeVillago is the man that held Ricky and Ms. Rogue in those labs!"

__

" Dr. DeVillago, can you please enlighten us with a few words?"

Jamie accidentally slid off of the couch and made a replica of himself, which he had ordered to retrieve the adults. As they came running, Ricky gasped, seeing DeVillago, smiling innocently.

__

"Well Mr. Brenisham, all I can say is that I am shocked to know that a fellow homo sapien sapien would want to rid the world of its own kind," DeVillago said. " I, however… along with my elite team of scientist are working diligently to find a way to create the perfect soldiers from these mutants. They may seem frightening but, we do have a way to keep them controlled as well as a way to eradicate them when necessary. Observe"

Scott gripped his towel; his arms shaking from his fury. They all watched in horror as a man with brown hair was tied to a rising platform. The man was blindfolded and gagged, but he didn't seem to be fazed or frightened.

__

" This man, Phillip Nate, is a mutant that has been serving our country for years, however, we could no longer trust the man, for he once worked for Eric Lehnsherr."

Xavier frowned. " That is a pure lie. Eric never hired more than four people to do his bidding at a time. At that time, he merely had the shape-shifter, Mystique. Victor Creed and two thugs he hired from the streets." (**)

" What is he up to?" Ororo wondered out loud. Jean nodded, glancing at Scott who was still trembling. He had been in the middle of a bath when the Jamie duplicate had called him. 

They all watched as a large satellite-like machine rose from the platform, pointed directly at Phillip Nate. 

__

" This is the X-Zero 2. It can fire a pulsating wave that can reach up to half the world's radius; as well as concentrating the wave to a single person," DeVillago explained as he took out a remote control_. " Now, this machine is only targeted on mutants, it cannot harm humans nor animals."_

Jamie watched, regretting it immediately. DeVillago pushed a button on his remote control. The machine hummed loudly, and a greenish hue began to form on the base of its pointer. Within seconds, a greenish wave of light began to pound into Phillip's body, making it convulse with pain.

He could no longer control his bodily fluids; his saliva ran down his mouth and his clothes were wet with perspiration and urine. Soon, blood began to seep out of every pore of his body, creating a rather large puddle right beneath his legs.

Soon, his epidermis shed off, leaving only his muscles. _" We can speed this up if you wish… it is rather gruesome to watch his insides melt off"_

Jubilee ran from the room, placing a hand on her mouth, trying to prevent herself from vomiting. Jean broke down and cried. Ororo merely inhaled a shaky breath and prayed for the man's soul. The rest of the students were horrified, frozen into place as they saw the Devil at his worst, displaying a gory death in front of the whole world.

He turned a knob on his remote and the waves became closer together, creating what looked like a green laser that penetrated Phillip's skin, burning him from the inside out. 

The reporter was in a state of shock, hands still formed as if holding his microphone when in reality, he had dropped it as Phillip dropped his skin.

__

" We finally created a machine that will keep mutants in line," DeVillago said, after Phillip's body was nothing but mere ashes. The students hear and saw the crowd cheering, spitting at the ashes that were now being blown away by the harsh wind.

Jean looked at her bestfriend, Ororo who was seething in anger. ' So that's where the wind came from' she thought. 

Scott placed her hand on Ororo's shoulder and smiled sadly. " His death was not in vain, once we get there… Marie will be back and we'll straighten things out with the world."

Ororo nodded. " I hope so, I do hope so."

Xavier nodded and began to formulate a plan. " Alright, we head for Mississippi in three hours. Henry, I am afraid you'll have to supervise the children while I help the team from the Cerebro room."

The blue beast nodded and smiled. " I believe I'm a better help here."

Scott nodded. 

" Jamie, Ricky you're going with them." Xavier said as he wheeled out of the recreation room. " The rest of you, try to get your mind clear from that vision you just received and get some rest."

" Sir, Jaime and Ricky… They're just children!" Scott exclaimed, disturbed by the news.

" We'll need Multiple's abilities as well as Hypno's knowledge of the lab," Jean explained. " Besides, you weren't younger than Jamie when you first went into your frist mission."

Scott glared at her. " I know that Jean, but I had experience from years of living in the streets!"

Ororo shook her head. " Look, its no use to Rogue or the world if you two keep bickering. We need to get our teammate back here before any harm comes to her."

===============================================================

"Mission? What the hell are you talking about DeVillago?" Marie spat.

The man's eyes glowed yellow and the man, turned into a blue skinned woman. Marie's eyes went wide, recognizing the shape-shifter from their previous meetings.

" **You**?"

The woman smiled. " I'm glad you remember me."

Marie inched closer to the doors, levitating from making a sound. " What are you doing here?" Marie asked, " I thought you worked for Magneto…"

Mystique shrugged and smiled coyly. " Well, truthfully, I was ordered to keep him out of the way, which thank you for doing. That made my job so much easier."

"What do you want with me?"

" First of, my dear," Mystique started. " We need you to get the largest threat out of the way."

Marie narrowed her eyes as Mystique came closer. " Kill the President."

Before Marie could open the doors, Mystique ran towards her with speed that she never imagined existed. Soon, she was hanging more than three feet in the air, Mystique's hand clamped on her throat. 

" Its such a simple task. With him out of the way, the Vice President will have to ensue that the machine be done immediately," Mystique crooned. " Then, finally… we can rid the world of these humans! Betraying their foolishly given trust!"

Marie sneered as she kicked Mystique's chest, sending her flying towards the opposite walls. " Why insist on working for a human who wishes to betray his own kind!?"

Mystique smiled cruelly. " Who says he was human?"

Before Marie could retort, she felt strong arms encasing her, neutralizing her powers. She tried to struggle, but failed. Mystique laughed and made her way towards her, playing with her white locks.

" Did I introduce you to Neutralizer? His mutation is one of the many useful ones that DeVillago has under his control. Neutra here can do just as his name says," Mystique gloated gleefully. " You've met your match."

Marie smiled. " No, you've met **yours**"

Using the combat skills she'd acquired from both Logan and Scott, she easily defeated Mystique, even without her super-strength. With a swift kick to the neck, stomach and chest, Mystique fell breathlessly.

The shape-shifter laid on the floor, unconscious and no doubt, internally bleeding. The strong grip Neutralizer had on her loosened, and made Marie wary of what was to come. She heard the familiar chuckle of the devil and turned towards him.

" It seems I've under estimated you, my dear," DeVillago said. His smile turned into a sharp frown as he snapped his fingers. " However, no one escapes from Samuel DeVillago… not even your precious Wolverine…"

Marie gasped, tears shedding from her eyes as the walls dimmed, erasing the illusion of hallways; a dank laboratory replacing it. In the center of the dimly lit room, were two liquid-filled containers. One empty, the other occupied by a familiar well-built man.

' Logan'

****

=================================================

Author's Note: I thought I should add SOMETHING from X2. Not really related to it, but SOMETHING from it.

*- I'm not entirely sure when the Statue of Liberty thing happened, so I made it January.

**- not exactly sure about that either.


	26. Narrow Escape

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: sorry for the delay, thanks for all you who reviewed and for those of you who informed me on the movie. It's been a long time since I saw it, but I loved it, none the less.

This first part is in Logan's Point of View

=================================================

Where am I? I feel-wet… like… like that time 15 years ago. God, please don't say I'm back. How did I get here anyway?

I remember the rally… 

The machine… 

DeVillago…

Then…

Nothing.

What is this throbbing pain in my neck? Come on; open your damn eyes! Move your arms! Do **Something**!

… Pathetic!

How can you even save Marie if you can't save yourself?! Damn pathetic excuse for a man! **Open your damn eyes!** Don't cry, dammit! The Wolverine doesn't cry! 

You have to move! Unsheathe those damn knives you call claws and break yourself free! You know you can do it… you did it 15 years ago, but you have an advantage… you're not pumped full of morphine…

…Damn it Logan!

Wake up!

__

"Logan? Wake up…"

Am I dreaming? … no… it can't be… Marie?

==================================================================

Logan groaned and willed himself to open his eyes. The pain was overwhelming, travelling through every vein of his body. Whatever they did to ensnare him, worked. They had their precious trophy, their Weapon X. He tried to move his muscles with pure effort and they did so, sending more needles of pain throughout his body. It was as if he were frozen and trying to thaw by moving.

He knew that he barely moved an inch, but he kept still, hearing light footsteps approaching his containment cylinder. He closed his eyes again, this time with more control. He was starting to regain feeling in his body and the pain was becoming nothing but a slight sting.

" Logan… "

Logan snapped his eyes open as he heard her familiar voice. The same melodious tune that was forever etched in his memories.

Marie.

His mouth and nose were covered with an oxygen mask that helped him to breathe through the fluid surrounding his body. He saw Marie's auburn hair and longed to run his hands through them, he had to smile at her emerald eyes that were wide with shock and happiness.

She stood before him, dressed in black, ready to complete a mission just to help release him. Although Logan didn't know that, he did know the expression on her face before she saw him was that of hopelessness. He frowned to think of what DeVillago had forced her to do. 

There, in all her beauty, Marie stood smiling happily at him, knowing he was alive- and all Logan could do was stare at her. 

"Logan?"

Before Marie could react, Logan unsheathed his claws and broke through the glass. Marie blushed at his state of undress which made Logan chuckle.

" Come on darlin'. It won't do any of us any good if we just stand around," he said.

Marie nodded, shyness aside, she sighed with relief knowing she wouldn't have to kill the president after all. Logan noticed that Marie became silent and more agile, as if she had received years of training instead of being the same bumbling teen he had picked up on the side of the road. 

' Duh birdbrain! She **was** captured and experimented on here!' he thought.

Marie chuckled, not having the heart to tell him that she was telepathic as well. 'I'll tell him later' she thought. 

Logan peeked through the doorway as Marie looked around. She knew that there was a lack of scientists to run the labs and the cameras weren't installed yet. She grinned, knowing that it would be easier without the surveillance. 

Logan found a guard coming towards them and he snatched him inside before anyone else came along. He rendered the man unconscious and borrowed his clothes, leaving the man in the room with nothing but his boxers.

" Fit?" Marie asked, not bothering to look at him. ' This was way too easy,' she thought.

Logan didn't care about how tight the clothes were, as long as he didn't have to trek around in his birthday suit. 

As they went down the hallway, Marie flying and Logan running behind her, DeVillago suddenly popped out from behind the corner.

"Did you really think I'd let my masterpiece just slip out of my hands?" he sneered. 

" You think you can stop us?" Logan barked, unsheathing his claws. "Right, you and what army?"

DeVillago smirked mischievously, and suddenly divided into two, then the two divided into four, and so on, until there were 8 exact duplicates of himself standing before Marie and Logan. 

Marie recalled Mystique's coy answer to her question when she first tried to escape. 

__

"Who says he was human?"

Logan charged at one of the DeVillagos and made a deep wound in his stomach. He was about to go onto another, when the wound on the first one's stomach healed before his very eyes. Marie's eyes widened as she realized what DeVillago's mutation was. 

" You seem surprised, my dear," the DeVillagos taunted. " Still think you can defeat me?"

They cackled deviously and snapped their fingers. Mystique, Sabertooth, Neutralizer and a group of random mutants appeared. 

"Face it, you're outnumbered!"

Suddenly, there was a red blast that blew a hole into one of the walls. As the dust cleared, Marie's heart soared as she saw Scott, in his uniform.

" Not if we can help it!"

Behind Scott, were Jean, Ororo, Kitty, and Bobby. Marie sighed, not seeing Jamie or Ricky, whom she was sure would have pestered them to let him join.

*If you're worried about Jamie and Ricky, they're in the Blackbird with Mr. McCoy. * 

Marie smiled at Scott and sent a mental thank you. DeVillago gave out an angered yell and commanded his mutants to attack. Cyclops hit as many DeVillagos as he could, only ending up in creating more of him once they've healed.

Ororo was busy with Mystique, both having unfinished business.

" What do you plan to accomplish, Weather Witch? You can't defeat me!" Mystique taunted as she delivered a kick to the goddess' face.

Ororo merely floated and kicked her back, her weather powers useless indoors. " That's the beauty about this, Mystique… I already have."

Logan was finishing his business with Creed as they circled each other, throwing and receiving blows that they know they can survive through.

" Why do you insist on working with psychopaths?" Logan asked.

" They're the only ones who can find my wife."

Marie was facing off with the original DeVillago. They stood silently staring at each other.

" Why did you kill Nate if you planned to get rid of the human species? Why lie about killing mutants?" Marie asked as she tried to think of a way to stop him.

'Stall him… figure it out… what is his weakness!'

" My dear, in the art of war… you must sacrifice a few to get where you need to go."

" You disgust me," Marie growled as she sent a super-powered kick to his chest, sending him flying towards Bobby. As he hit the boy, Bobby accidentally froze one of the DeVillago clones in a block of ice. Scott and Marie saw it at the same time and yelled out instructions at the same time as well.

" Bobby! Freeze all of the DeVillagos!"

Bobby nodded and did as he was told. " Stop the boy!" the original yelled as he ran towards the control rooms. Jean stood in front of Bobby and telekinetically removed any obstacles from the boy's line of fire. 

Mystique and Creed followed the original DeVillago and ran towards the stairs. The mutants that were left were soon defeated and the DeVillago clones disappeared. 

They all ran up the stairs and suddenly, there were flashing red lights and a loud voice boomed through the P.A system.

"**Warning, Self-destruct imminent**"

Marie's eyes went wide as did Logan's. " There are more mutants trapped in here!" Marie yelled. "… Where's Jamie?"

Scott seemed shocked to hear her ask for the boy at the situation but decided to answer her anyway. " He's in the Blackbird. They should just be in the forest."

"Kitty, take Ms. Munroe, phase to the forest and fast. Bring Jamie back here pronto!"

Kitty and Ororo nodded, flying away. 

" What's going on?" Scott asked. " DeVillago's getting away."

" If this place self-destructs, we have ourselves more than a hundred mutants dead," Marie explained. " Jean, you know something about these things, right?"

Jean nodded. " Yes, but nothing this big…"

"I'll help you. In case Jamie can't get those people out of here… we might be able to shut the computer manually."

Scott nodded. " Where is it?"

" Logan knows where it is. It's where he was placed it. Lead Jean to the containment room and try to help her all you can. Bobby, keep Ricky company! Scott, I need you here to help."

Jean and Logan made their way to the containment room and Bobby did as he was told. Scott felt proud of Marie as she took the role temporarily.

" What is it you plan to do?" Scott asked as they waited for Ororo and Kitty to return. 

" I'm going to absorb Jamie, reverse my mutation place Jamie's mutation in Kitty and Ms. Munroe and you. That way, you can multiply yourselves, get as many people as you can with the help of the Kittys," Marie explained. 

They saw Kitty and Ororo float down with Jamie, who gave Marie a big hug before he smiled at her.

" I'm glad to see you too, Jamie. Now… this may sting," Marie said as she touched Jamie's face, taking only his powers and not his energy. 

She then went to Kitty, Ororo and Scott, reversing her mutation. They felt a slight tingling sensation and felt different. Rogue pushed every one of them, creating multiples of themselves.

" Now, Kitty, grab one of them. All of you Kittys. Phase through the walls if you have Scott and Jamie. If you have Ms. Munroe, phase to the floors below you. If we need any more of you guys, just tell me and I'll relay it to you guys."

They each went their separate ways and Marie made multiples of herself as well, flying down the levels to help out anyway she could. The original Marie ran towards the containment room and found Jean typing away as Logan tried to re-wire the computer.

"**Self Destruct in 10 minutes**"

Marie panicked. She tired to find a memory that might be able to help, but all she could find about computers were how to reprogram things.

'Dumbass! That **is** a good thing to know!'

She began to type away at the controls, making Jean and Logan look at her as if she were crazy. 

" Darlin', what are you doing?" Logan asked as he watched Marie typing away. Jean tried to keep up with the girl as she read through her commands. 

" You're trying to over-write the program?" Jean marveled, wondering why she hadn't thought of that earlier. 

" That's **if** it's possible…" Marie started, still typing away. Hopefully, she wouldn't get to any walls that would prevent her from saving her friends. 

" Is there anything I could do to help?" Jean asked.

Marie nodded. " Yes, you too, Logan. Since we have a lot of people to rescue. I need you guys to multiply."

Without looking at either one of them, she touched them with her finger and sent what was left of Jamie's mutation to them. Logan immediately felt the change and started to multiply at will. He grinned as he saw himself outside of a full- length mirror. 

"** Self destruct in 5 minutes**"

Logan cursed and ran towards the levels, hoping he could speed up the process. Jean did the same, but her original stayed behind. 

*Level 1 is clear! * one of the Ororos said mentally. Jean and Marie smiled, relieved as their friends continued to keep them updated

* Level 2 clear! * Logan's gruff voice said mentally.

*Level 3! Clear! * Scott said. 

*Level 4! And 5 Clear! * Kitty said jubilantly.

*Level 6 clear! * Jean said. * I have to add…this mutation is cool! *

Marie laughed at that and Jean had to blush at her sudden immaturity.

*Level 7! … wait… okay, Logan has them! Clear! *

" **Self destruct in 3 minutes, lockdown in 10…9…**"

Marie continued typing, hoping that she would still be able to over-ride the previous commands when she heard a telepathic cry for help from one of the Scotts and Kittys.

*We got everyone in Level 8, but there's a metal cell in here! We can't get through! Kitty just disappeared! *

Jean looked at Marie. " Jean, I need you to do me a big favor…" Marie started as she typed the last command. 

" **Lockdown over-ridden, Self Destruct in 60 seconds **"

" I want you to go up to the surface, get everyone far away from the warehouse. At least 300 ft away!" Marie continued. "Go!"

As Jean flew towards the level, Marie flew into the floors, not caring whether she may get hurt or not. 

'If I use the damn stairs, I'll never make it out in less than 30 seconds!'

" **Self destruct in 20 seconds **"

Marie crashed through the levels, trusting her friends when they said they were in the clear. As she reached the bottom level of the underground lab, she found the only chamber left unopened. She yanked the metal door and found a woman, floating in a bluish liquid.

" **Self destruct in 10…9…8…**"

'Shit!'

Marie punched the cylinder and caught the limp body in her arms. The woman was considerably light… but then again, everything was lighter now that Marie had her super-strength back. 

****

" …4…3…2…"

Marie prayed that her telekinesis wasn't rusty and waited for the blast.

==========================================================

Jean nodded uncertain of her command, but complied. She flew up to the surface and found more people present than an ordinary hockey game. She quickly sent them a telepathic message and they ran towards the Blackbird. As soon as they were far enough, not able to see the warehouse, Scott began to search the crowd for Marie.

"Where is she?"

Jean was about to reply, when a huge explosion occurred. A mushroom cloud hovered in the air, disappearing into the afternoon sky.

" **Marie**!!"

Both Logan and Scott were about to run back to the wreckage, only to be held back by Jean and Ororo. Logan closed his eyes, feeling tears running down his face, Ororo's embrace giving him slight comfort. Scott pushed Jean away and fell on his knees. Tears seeped through his visor, as he pounded on the cement. Jamie shook his head, sobbing uncontrollably. He loved Marie, even though he hadn't exactly known her for a long time… he started to look up to her like a mother. And now… she was gone.

Jamie couldn't believe it. He wouldn't believe it. Without anyone to bump into or stop him, he ran towards the crater, with Scott right behind him. He stood less than a hundred feet away from the remainder of the burning wreck.

" She-she can't be-"

Scott pulled Jamie in a tight hug as he sobbed. The rest of the X-team came to them and bowed their heads. Jean closed her eyes and took a shaky breath.

' Rogue… '

Suddenly, there was sound of creaking metal within the mass. Then, something shot out of the rubble and into the sky. Logan laughed and gave a cheer as it came flying towards them. Scott let go of Jamie and walked towards Marie. 

Her black uniform was burnt and torn, but Marie herself was untouched. In her arms, was a woman with unusually light violet skin, and lavender locks; the woman seemed unconscious with her head relaxed and limp. 

Logan came towards Marie as she gently transferred the limp woman to Logan's arms. Scott was by Marie's side before she fell from exhaustion. She leaned into Scott and placed her head on the crevice between his neck and his shoulders. Scott knelt down and scooped her up, carrying her bridal style, with her arms around his neck. 

" I'm glad you're alive, baby."

Marie smiled and whispered, " Me too."

Logan watched, his heart clenching as he was forced to endure yet another form of torture; seeing the woman he loved in the arms of another man. 

Ororo placed her hand on Logan's shoulders. " It'll get better with time…"

Logan nodded. " I know 'Ro… its just… it hurts right now…"

Jean resisted the temptation to cry and shifted her attention from the couple to the woman in Logan's arms.

" Who is she?"

"Her name is Clarice Ferguson; Codename: Blink. She has the ability to focus matter to one point, and move the matter from place to another," Marie said hoarsely. " She's Victor's wife."

Marie felt the slow healing factor rejuvenate her body. Scott placed her back down on her feet and Jamie rushed at her. Logan fell silent, still carrying the woman in his arms. 

" I'm glad you're okay!" Jamie exclaimed. Marie ruffled his hair and walked towards Logan. 

" Thanks for savin' me back there, darlin'," Logan said sincerely.

Marie flashed him a loving smile and nodded. " It was the least I could do to repay you for saving me."

Logan chuckled. " Let's just say we're even then."

Marie nodded and looked at Scott as he embraced her from behind. For the longest that Marie could remember, she felt content. Friends and family were surrounding her. 

" So, let's get back to the Blackbird, shall we? I want to see my **other** son," Marie said, winking at Jamie. They reached the forest where the Blackbird was hidden, followed by over a hundred groggy mutants. 

Scott noticed that something felt odd. The Blackbird's cargo hold was open and Henry was nowhere to be found. Suddenly, they saw Bobby running towards them, carrying a groaning beast.

" Bobby! Hank!" Jean exclaimed.

" What happened?" Scott asked. 

Marie braced herself for what she knew had happened. 

" DeVillago came this way… he took Ricky!"

===========================================================================

****

Author's Note: Like? Ya, I know that I didn't say what happened to DeVillago. You'll see… And as for Blink… ya I know she's supposed to be single, but in the old comix I believe that she was the only one that Creed ever saved or even tolerated. So I thought there was some chemistry between them…


	27. Must Read!

Hey all! Thank you all so much for your patience, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to have my stories on hold. You see on August 14'th 2003, there was a fire that spread somewhere in the North Eastern part of the States and it created a huge black-out in the South Eastern part of Canada, where I'm at.   
  
Government are trying to even out power by making scheduled blackouts to keep people from being kept totally in the dark. NOT a pun. Until the whole situation is over, My mom thought it best not to update for a couple of days until the whole ordeal is over. Hopefully I can still type up my stories every couple of hours, but it's all I can do.   
  
I'm positive that by August 20th 2003, the power outage problem will be solved, so until then, please stay patient and pray for all those who were caught in the fire.   
  
Thank you for your time and patience,  
  
Lady Destiny 


	28. 27 Beginning of the End

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: wow, what a rush! ^-^ For those of you who feel like its become a move sort of thing: that's how I imagined The Rogue to come to… So thank you for noticing that.

Also, I fear this fic is near its end… T-T * sniff* I love it so much! 

=============================================

Ricky struggled against the hold that Sabertooth had on him. He opted to use his hypnotism, but he couldn't get eye contact with anyone. He feared that they found out his little secret. They hadn't blindfolded him, but they had gagged him. 

" If only your mother was more cooperative, my boy… then perhaps you wouldn't be in this mess," DeVillago said. 

The plane wasn't large, nor was it small. It was built for speed and for travel, DeVillago's private plane. Ricky compared it to the Blackbird and smiled knowing that it was slower than the X-Men's plane.

'They'll come soon…Maman…' Ricky thought joyfully. ' I hope SCott and Jamie are alright…'

DeVillago's words cut through Ricky's thoughts as he turned towards Ricky. " You know, you and I are alike."

Ricky scowled and glared at the man. 

*You and I are never going to be alike! You're a monster! * Ricky shouted telepathically, not caring about his mother's warnings. 

DeVillago seemed shocked at first, then his expression turned into one of humor. " My boy, I knew you had more in you than merely having that immunity to your mother's skin!"

Ricky didn't care about what things may have been planned for him. All he cared about was getting his opinion through to the evil man. *You say you're a god in your labs, well you're not god here, now are you?! *

DeVillago chuckled and took off the gag from Ricky's mouth, feeling the slight throbbing of his head from Ricky's mental 'yelling'. He ignored Ricky's comment and began to taunt the boy more.

" But my dear boy, we are alike," DeVillago said, crossing his legs. " Soon, after we show the world how superior our species is… you and I will rise to the top, as will every mutant in the world. Humans will serve us, bowing to our feet."

" That is exactly why we'll never be alike!" Ricky spat out, showing a higher level of vocabulary than he'd ever shown the doctors back in Area 42. " You assume that you're better than those mindless humans who fear mutants, who rally against us for the mere fact that we're different… but in reality, you're nothing better than they are."

DeVillago's smile turned into a frown and he grabbed Ricky's arm, squeezing it with every ounce of strength he had. 

" Listen here, you whiny little brat! Don't you ever talk that way to your better!" he hissed cruelly. " I have the power to rid you off this world. Don't irritate me."

Ricky said nothing, staring defiantly at DeVillago, glaring at him with pure hatred. Sabertooth looked away and feeling guilty for holding a mere child against his will.

' I just hope DeVillago gets me my wife,' Victor thought sadly, not realizing that Ricky had heard his thoughts. 

Mystique flew the plane effortlessly, having many skills to go with her many identities. She placed the plane on auto-pilot and left it to her co-pilot. 

" Make sure we get to the White house immediately," she ordered. " Land right on their backyard if you have to."

The co-pilot nodded mutely and went back to staring at the clouds before him. Mystique gracefully walked towards the passenger's deck and sat next to DeVillago.

" Are we almost there?" DeVillago asked.

The blue woman nodded with a smile on her face. " Yes sir, no sign of the X-Men yet."

"Good."

Ricky looked at Mystique and tried to probe her mind, only to come across a strong mind- barrier. She glared at him and sent him a telepathic message that chilled him to his bones. With a cold smile, she got up and went back to the controls. 

" **We'll be arriving in Washington in 30 minutes, sir **"

Ricky's eyes widened as he remembered Xavier. Concentrating on the bald man, he began to relay everything that had happened to him. 

==========================================================

Marie couldn't help but feel anxious. Bobby, Kitty and Henry had stayed with the rescued mutants to wait for Xavier's back up. She sat patiently in the Blackbird, wringing a piece of paper in her hands. Where she had gotten the paper, she didn't know, but she figured she must have used one of her absorbed powers to create it. 

'Damn that man!' she thought angrily. 

She'd absorbed so many mutants, she had no idea what powers she held or who she had received them from. She shuddered to think of what DeVillago might do to her son. 

" Don't worry to much, baby… we'll get Ricky back," Scott assured, taking Marie's bare hand into his and caressing her knuckles with his thumb.

Marie loved being able to touch again. For the months she had endured not remembering how to turn off her mutation, it had been hell. She didn't realize that she had projected her thoughts to Scott, and he smiled softly, placing a loving kiss on her hand.

" It's over now, love," Scott said, shocking Marie slightly with his new nickname. 

" What would I have done without you?" Marie asked quietly. " How would this all have played out?"

Scott shrugged, brushing a stray hair from Marie's face. " Oh I don't know… you'd probably have very dry and red eyes."

" I wasn't **that** bad, was I?" Marie asked, laughing slightly.

Scott shook his head. " Not bad, love. You were never bad."

Logan growled audibly, catching Marie's attention. " Sorry to bother, we're almost there. DeVillago's plane is just a few meters away."

Scott nodded and gently let go of Marie's hand, but not before placing one last kiss on her hand. *I'm never letting you go * he said mentally, chuckling as he saw the slight coloration of Marie's cheeks. *Did I tell you how beautiful you look when you blush? *

That comment made Marie blush even more. Ororo chuckled to see the two getting close and continued flying the plane. She heard Logan's growl and sighed. 

" It was bound to happen, Logan," she said softly. " Even Xavier saw it…"

Logan kept silent and wondered how Jean could stand it. 

*I can't, but I need to learn how to move on *

Logan sighed, hearing the doctor's response in his head. It was going to hard to move on; knowing he had the chance to tell her he loved her before he left the first time. 

" We're almost there. DeVillago's plane is landing," Ororo informed Scott. " Should we land there as well or hide the Blackbird again?"

Scott stood behind Ororo and looked around. "Land by the forest over there. We don't want DeVillago to know we're here so soon."

As Marie felt the jet land, she unbuckled her seatbelt and made her way towards the White House via the sunroof of the Blackbird. Scott and the others soon followed her outside and worked out a plausible plan. Marie just hovered nervously, hoping no one was injured. 

" Alright, here's the plan," Scott started, but Logan cut him off by unsheathing his claws.

" What plan? We don't need no stinkin' plan, bub. What we do is we go in, kick some butts, save the day. It's not so tough," Logan said gruffly, crossing his arms. 

" Logan, I'd agree with you in other times, but my **son** is in there… I don't want to risk going through with a kamikaze move like that," Marie said, trying to stay calm even though it was obvious that she was anxious enough to try Logan's suggestion.

Logan sighed and put his claws back. " You're right. You're always right. Sorry 'bout that darlin'…"

Marie offered a small smile and stepped lightly on the ground. " We don't have much time. We don't even know what DeVillago is going to do. He's not the type to just go and kill someone. He'll negotiate something first," she said, using her past knowledge of the man to try and think up a plan. 

" I vote we split up into two. One group will try and see if they can somehow disable the X Zero 2," Scott said. " The other team try and fight off DeVillago's crew and protect the president. "

Everyone except for Logan nodded. As they reached the White House, Scott began to pair people off. 

" I work solo, one-eye. You know that."

" Well you're going to have to, dog-breath!"

Marie sighed irritably and looked at the two men. " Look, can we just go, we're losing time. If you **boys** are done measuring, maybe we can **save** the lives of innocent people?"

Logan glared at Scott one last time and grunted. " Fine. "

Jean looked around the corner and found a few guards that looked out of place in the government. Using her telepathy, she sent the guards major headaches that sent them unconscious within a few seconds. 

" Alright. Jean and 'Ro, you guys go see if you can the X Zero 2, relay back to Ma-Rogue when you do. Logan, you're coming with Rogue and me," Scott said. 

==============================================================

Jean and Storm stayed outside, making a parameter check while they sent guards to their early bed times. As they reached the gardens, they found a plane in the backyard, guarded by several large men. Jean knew they were mutants. They weren't carrying any weapons, and one had a slightly orange coloration in their skin. 

" Powers?" Storm asked.

" One can re-arrange molecules and the orange one is venomous," Jean replied.

" Can you knock them out?"

" I think so."

Jean concentrated and soon, the two mutants were sent to their knees. The orange one; however seemed to recover quite quickly and stood up, shaking his head. 

Storm flew high in the sky and called a storm. She tried to electrify the other man, but it just disappeared once it can in contact with him. 

" I don't think we'll get through them easily," Jean said dryly. 

Storm nodded. " Let's switch guys."

=======================================================================

Rogue and Cyclops followed Wolverine as through the hallways leading towards the Oval Office*, where they found most of the department heads tied and gagged on the floor. Using his claws, Logan untied one of the men and helped him up. 

" Mr. Secretary of State**… what happened here?" Marie asked

The man rubbed his eyes and blinked numerous times. " Sorry, I've seemed to have misplaced my glasses… erm, these men just came in while the President was about to announce the new tax cut. They're in the conference hall…with the press."

Rogue gave Cyclops a worried glance.

*What would he want to announce? *

Wolverine checked all of the men and women present and couldn't help but wonder why the Head of Defense wasn't tied and gagged as well. 

" The men that took the President took the Head of Defense as well. Though not tied as Mr. President was."

Rogue frowned and gave Ororo and Jean a telepathic message. Jean relayed back to her and updated on the X Zero 2. 

*It's not here *

*What do you mean it's not there?! *

Wolverine sniffed the air and stood in front of Rogue, the same protective feeling rising from his stomach. 

" We got company," he stated. Cyclops turned to him and gave him a look. " They're normals."

========================================================================

****

Author's Note: Again, sorry for the delay. FF.net has had some problems… and I had to do some research… which was all in vain since I couldn't find information I needed!

* I keep forgetting whether it was the Oval Office or the Oval Room…

** I'm not sure what their names are either… and I don't have it in me to make up names right now. Just pretend that the people in the White House are the ppl that are there as of right now… whichever or whomever that may be… ^-^;; I'm not into politics… in fact even though I'm in Canada… I have no clue who the government is here…

****


	29. Starting Anew

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: Thank you all so much for being so patient! I know its been a while since I updated… I got a bit of writer's block, not really knowing how to end DeVillago's evil plan.

============================================

After freeing the gagged politicians, Rogue, Cyclops and Wolverine split up to cover more ground. Cyclops had gone to the press conference/media room to find it empty. As he walked in cautiously, his hand on his visor. The foldable chairs were scattered around, as if there had been people there that went into panic. 

Papers were strewn about, and the podium on the stage was tipped over. The White House logo on the wall had been ripped. Five cat-like marks marred the walls.

' Sabertooth' Scott thought. 

As Cyclops turned around, he was shocked to find a large fist making its way towards him. Scott barely dodged it and it hit the wall, creating a rather large hole. 

Victor Creed smirked smugly, showing off a large set of yellow teeth. " Didn't think you'd make it through the explosion, One-eye."

Cyclops ignored his taunting and pressed a button on his visor, blasting Sabertooth back towards the far end of the room. Cyclops was about to leave, when he heard insane laughter coming from the fallen body. Victor sat up, shook his head and grinned. 

" You can't get away **that** easily," Victor said. " If I can't have my family, I'd rather have your hide!"

Cyclops recalled the woman that Rogue had brought out from the labs. " Victor! I think I may be able to help you with your wife!"

Victor scowled. " **Liar!** **You murdered my wife!**"

" Blink is safe, but she's been drugged," Cyclops explained as he maneuvered his way, dodging the feral man's attacks. " DeVillago had her locked in the lower levels-"

Victor stopped his attacks and stared at his enemy. Hope flared up within him. " How do I know you're not lying?"

Scott took his hand off of his visor and walked up towards him, at arms' reach. " I'm not."

Sighing, Victor nodded. " I'd help you, but DeVillago's got a remote that can control the devices he's planted on our spines…"

Scott frowned. " Remote… does he have it with him?"

Victor nodded. " It's the same remote as the one that controls his X Zero machine…"

Gunshots were heard and they were getting closer. " Victor, distract the S.W.A.T team. I'll inform the group that you're with us."

"For now…" Victor added, still frowning. " Once I get my wife back…"

Scott nodded in agreement and began to sprint towards Rogue's location, projecting his thoughts, knowing Jean and Rogue would relay the information to everyone else. 

==============================================================

Wolverine stayed behind and tried to keep most of the 'normals' from getting to Rogue and the rest. He began swatting and slicing the guns from the S.W.A.T team, making most of them run in fear. He found a cabinet containing antique china and used it to prevent more people from getting too far inside the White House. 

*If you see Sabertooth, it's okay. He's one of us. *

Wolverine growled, hearing the information and wondered who got Victor to agree with working with him. He opened on of the doors and found a large room full of documents and videotapes. It looked like a large video library. 

He saw some movement at the corner of his eyes. Something big. He unsheathed his claws with a loud **SNIKT** that echoed throughout the room. 

" Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. You know, you don't have to play so hard to get."

Logan growled, knowing who was taunting him. From the shadows, a blue, scaled woman appeared, with an eerie smile on her face.

" Mystique."

" We meet again. You know, the last time we met… really… touched my heart. Literally."

Mystique's smiled turned into a scowl as she went into a defensive stance. " You should have just let it go, Wolverine. You could have saved all mutants from being tormented just as you have…"

"Shut the hell up," Logan said, remarkably calm, despite his threats. 

They circled each other and Logan was suddenly caught off-guard as she delivered a kick to his chest, pushing him towards one of the shelves, knocking it down. It created a domino effect and began tipping the other shelves as well.

Logan shook it off and stood up, dodging the kick that Mystique had been aiming for his head. As Logan turned around to face the blue woman, he found himself staring at Rogue. His instincts were screaming at him to move, but he just wasn't reacting. All he could think of was how beautiful the woman was. Her auburn hair, her emerald eyes.

" It seems I've found your weakness," Mystique said in Rogue's voice. 

Logan closed his eyes and braced himself for what would be the hardest thing he'd have to do in his life. 'Rogue' went into offensive and began kicking and punching him in a position that Logan knew Rogue couldn't bend into. 

"Why are you doing this, Mystique? What happened to Lensherr?" Logan asked, hoping to stall the woman until he got into 'stabbing reach'. 

" Erik was too soft. Rogue should have died more slowly, more painfully-"

Logan narrowed his eyes and cursed what he was about to do. He rushed the woman, tackling him between one of the shelves. Before the woman could stand up again, Logan ran to the shelf next to it and tipped it over as quickly as he could. 

Mystique screamed, not having enough time to move away. Logan stood as the papers and the dust settled. He sighed, thankful that he hadn't seen Mystique in a Rogue disguise underneath the rubble. It would've hurt him more than anything. 

He had promised to protect the girl. 

'And by God, I'm going to keep that promise…'

=======================================================

Rogue followed her gut instinct and it led her towards the gardens, where Jean and Ororo were located. She knew that the two women had succeeded in finding the machine, however… 

" Hello again, my dear."

Rogue felt that chill run up her spine once again. She slowly turned around and found DeVillago, holding what looked to her like a box, and Ricky. 

" Richard."

"Maman…" Ricky replied, his voice betraying his brave façade. Rogue couldn't stand seeing her son so helpless. "He knows."

Rogue gasped inaudibly, clenching her jaw. DeVillago knew of Ricky's mutation. Rogue tried to scan the area for Jean and Ororo. She found them just beyond the bushes.

" Uh uh, no funny stuff, my dear," DeVillago said, flipping the box open and revealing a button. " One false move, and I will detonate the X Zero 2. Right now, its beam is locked onto young Richard here. If you do everything as I say, I can revert its target."

Rogue glared at the man, still silent. She called on Jean and told her a plan. Suddenly, Logan, Scott and Sabertooth came out. They stood there, watching what was about to happen. 

Rogue took a deep breath and stepped forward. They all heard something powering up and found the machine protruding from DeVillago's plane. 

" Technology **is** fascinating. My custom-made jet is so… useful," DeVillago gloated. 

" Don't do this DeVillago!" Cyclops yelled. "We can help you…"

" My father was killed my a mutant hating human. I'd rather **die **than be locked up with those… things!" He screeched, his finger lingering on the button. 

" **NOW**!"

Ricky was suddenly lifted off the ground, far above DeVillago's reach. Rogue began running for the remote, but Devillago began to push several buttons. Victor began to writhe in pain, twitching on the ground as the device on his spine began to electrify his nerves. Logan snatched the remote from DeVillago who took out a gun. 

Logan didn't care and shut off Victor's device, leaving him unconscious on the ground. 

" You really think that thing is going to stop ME?" Logan asked gruffly. 

DeVillago shrugged. " Its not an ordinary gun. Watch."

Time seemed to freeze as DeVillago switched his aim from Logan to Rogue. Ororo, Jean and Ricky screamed for Rogue to move, but she seemed to be rooted to the ground. Scott's eyes widened, as did Logan's, however he was the one out of the two that ran in front of Rogue. 

" **SCOTT!**"

As Scott fell from the bullet wound to his stomach, he had managed to aim at DeVillago's head, which rendered him dead. Another gun went off, and this time hit Rogue on her shoulders as she was vulnerable.

" **MARIE!**"

The S.W.A.T team was suddenly all levitating with Ricky and Jean's telekinesis. Their guns fell to the floor, at the feet of one raging Wolverine. 

Ororo suddenly flew in, with the unharmed President in her arms. 

" Cease fire!" he ordered. " These people just saved the United States of America. I don't think it would be right to repay them by killing their members, do you?"

Marie had tears in her eyes as she held Scott in her arms, using her lap as a pillow for his head. Scott's breathing was labored and choppy, but he managed to smile, even in his pain. 

" Well, I think I may just have lost a couple of pounds," he joked, making Marie laugh slightly. She placed her finger on his mouth, ignoring the pain in her shoulder.

" Save your energy," she said. " Thank you for saving me."

Scott smiled again and raised his arm to touch her face. Marie took his hand and planted a kiss on it, her tears falling on his chest.

" Don't cry, baby." Scott whispered. " I'm not dying… I can't… not until you and I are married; and you give me 12 kids."

Marie laughed again and nodded. Ororo had piloted the Blackbird and landed it closer to the White House. Logan carried Victor to the Blackbird as Scott was placed on a stretcher and wheeled into the jet. Rogue sat beside his sleeping form and held his hand in one of hers. Ricky sat next to Marie and held her other hand, leaning into her arm for comfort. 

" Papa is going to be alright, right?" he asked. " How is Jamie?"

Marie sighed and looked at her son lovingly. " Scott is going to be fine, and your brother is probably just waiting for you in back- back home."

It felt great to finally say it. Home. She ruffled her son's hair and sighed contently. 

=======================================================

Logan sat in the co-pilot's seat, looking back at Marie once in a while. Ororo patted his hand for comfort and he nodded at her. 

" I'll be fine," he said. " I'm staying. "

Ororo smiled, as if she had already known. " Charles would be delighted. "

" Yeah."

" I'd be delighted as well," Ororo added softly, looking at Logan. 

'Maybe it won't be so hard…' he thought. 

Jean overheard their conversation and sighed to herself. ' Yes… it will… but I'll get over it.'

=========================================================

In the Medlab, Marie sat beside Scott, praying he'd be all right. Ricky and Jamie were in their room in the boys' dorm, leaving Marie in her large room by herself. Since Jamie was pretty much abandoned by his parents, he had given Marie an adoption form that legalized Jamie's part in the family. 

Scott began to stir in his bed. Marie knew he had just opened his eyes, even though he was still wearing his glasses. 

" Hey Shugah," Marie said lovingly, brushing a stray hair from Scott's eyes. " How are you feeling?"

Scott smiled. " Hey baby… better. Now that I can see you again."

Marie leaned in and gave him a small kiss and tried to sit back down, only Scott placed his arm around her waist, pulling her towards his bed. She sighed and sat down on the bed beside him. 

" I wasn't joking back then, Marie," Scott said, caressing her knuckles with his thumb. " I love you, and I want to spend eternity with you- and our 12 kids."

Marie laughed and nodded. " I'd love to marry you, Scott… but 12? I mean… I'd settle for 4, but 12?"

They began to laugh and the doors opened to reveal their friends, rushing to see how they were faring. Ricky and Jamie stood beside Scott's bed and grinned at them. 

" Hey dad!" Jamie teased. 

" I need nicknames for you two!" Scott said playfully. 

Xavier smiled at the scene and congratulated Marie and Scott telepathically. ' They deserve to be happy.'

"So, when is 'Grandpa' Xavier going to get another grandchild?" Jubilee teased. 

Marie playfully smacked the teenager and gave her a teasing 'soon' look. Marie spotted Logan in the back of the group; as they all went to Scott to see how he did, Marie took the time to go to her 'hero' and smile. 

She looked up at his sad eyes and gave him a small kiss. " Thank you, Logan."

" It's nothin' darlin'. After all, what kind of a brother would I be if I didn't look out for you?" he said.

Marie giggled at his face. " You're my hero, Logan."

" And you're my darlin'. I love you, shoulda said it earlier… but-"

Marie shook her head. " It's in the past Logan. I thought I was 17. I was still a child, you did the right thing…" she said, holding his hand in hers.

" God, how long did I pray to be able to hold your hand-" Logan choked, his eyes brimming with unshed tears. 

" I love you too Logan, I always will, but I'm not the one for you. You'll see," Marie said, looking at Ororo's direction. " Someone's waiting for you."

Marie gave him a hug and Logan didn't hesitate to reciprocate it. He held her tight, wishing they could stay that way. He reluctantly let go and stared at her. 

" Let go of the past," Marie said. " Go to your future."

He nodded and turned around. Marie watched as he joined Ororo, just watching as everyone teased Scott. Marie smiled softly to herself and turned back to the crowd. As she made her way back to her fiancé and her two sons.

=======================================================

****

Author's Note: I'm not sure if that was one of my best… but I liked the ending… sorry all you Logan/Marie fans… but at least I didn't hurt him too much. 

STAY TUNED FOR THE WEDDING/EPILOGUE!

****


	30. Epilogue

****

The Rogue

Author's Note: The END is HERE!

=================================================

Scott had never felt more nervous in his life. The woman that he met less than a year ago, the woman that captured his heart was now marrying him. 

As she walked down the aisle, accompanied by Xavier, her 'father', he felt his nervousness being replaced by complete and utter love. 

Scott faced his lovely bride, grinning like a fool. They looked perfect together. The professor had one of the students- Forge, recreate the device that had repressed some of Rogue's powers. They had made his wedding ring somewhat like the TAG device, enabling him the control he had been denied for half of his life. 

As the priest continued with his sermon, Scott squeezed Marie's hand. She looked at him, smiling lovingly. Scott finally saw the woman who befriended him during his toughest times in color, and she was magnificent. Her emerald eyes shone with love and happiness, her auburn hair shone under the sun's light. 

Scott couldn't ask for anything more.

"Do you, Scott Summers, take this woman, to have and to hold, for sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, till death do you part?"

Scott's hazel eyes said everything, but yet, he smiled. 

" I do."

=====================================

Marie felt overjoyed. Everything was perfect. After so many years of torture, betrayals and false hope, she was finally in heaven. Dressed up in a white dress, she would outside her home, all her friends, no… family present. 

She looked at her groom, seeing the love in his eyes. Marie had been ecstatic, wanting to help him, no matter what. She knew how hard it was to not be able to do something. 

She felt him squeeze her hand, she knew he loved her. Now was her chance to prove to him how much she loved him as well. 

" Do you, Marie Xavier, take this man, to have and to hold, for sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, till death do you part?"

Marie took a deep breath, smiling as she held Scott's hand. Saying two words with confidence that she hadn't felt in a long time. 

" I do."

===================================================

The wedding was perfect. Everyone loved to see two friends finally be happy. Jamie couldn't help but grin as he and Ricky watched their parents kiss. Jubilee and Kitty were bawling their eyes out, and Bobby couldn't help but whistle in agreement. Xavier sat beside Logan who was sighing. 

" What is it old friend?" Xavier asked, even though he already knew what it was. 

" I should be feeling crummy, but… I respect her choice," Logan said. " But, if he ever hurts her, I'm going to rip out his spleen."

" Dude, if Mr. Summers ever hurts… Mrs. Summers… I think a lot of us would be ripping him up," Bobby said. 

Ororo laughed at the boy and linked her arm around Logan's. She accepted his feelings for Marie and helped him move on. The reception went well, everyone ate cake, and enjoyed themselves on the dance floor. None more than the bride, the groom and their two children. 

They heard Shania Twain's song: "Forever" and began to dance and sing to it. 

****

In your arms I can still feel the way you

want me when you hold me

I can still hear the words you whispered

when you told me

I can stay right here forever in your arms

Scott recalled the nights that Marie had spent in his room, recalling how much he loved her scent on his pillows. He would have her every night, he would be able to kiss her and hug her everyday.

Marie sighed contently, knowing that she would forever be loved by the one she loved.

****

And there ain't no way

I'm lettin' you go now

And there ain't no way

and there ain't not how

I'll never see that day...

"She's got that right, baby," Scott whispered in her ear. Marie giggled and began to sang along.

****

'Cause I'm keeping you

forever and for always

We will be together all of our day

Wanna wake up every

morning to your sweet face always

As they began to sway and sing, they ignored their audience who was at awe. Jean had to admit that they were perfect together. Scott needed someone he could trust, and Marie needed someone who would love her for who she was.

****

Mmmm, baby

In your heart I can still hear

a beat for every time you kiss me

And when we're apart,

I know how much you miss me

I can feel your love for me in your heart

Ororo dragged Logan to the floor and laughed as he tried to move to the beat. She stopped him and just wrapped her arms around his neck and they moved slowly.

" Thank you for bein' there, 'Ro."

" It's my pleasure, Logan."

****

And there ain't no way

I'm lettin' you go now

And there ain't now way

and there ain't no how

I'll never see that day...

Scott held Marie's hand and placed a kiss on it. Marie blushed prettily and leaned into Scott's chest. She inhaled his scent and wrapped her arms around him. Soon, Scott had lifted her off of the ground and began to twirl her around.

****

'Cause I'm keeping you

forever and for always

We will be together all of our day

Wanna wake up every

morning to your sweet face always

(I wanna wake up every morning)

In your eyes (I can still see

the look of the one) I can still see

the look of the one who really loves me

(I can still feel the way that you want)

The one who wouldn't put anything

else in the world above me

(I can still see love for me) I can

still see love for me in your eyes

(I still see the love)

Jean sat down on her chair and watched. A tall blond man walked over towards her and stretched out his hand. 

" Would you care to dance, doctor?"

" Why, Mr. Worthington… I'd love to."

****

And there ain't no way

I'm lettin' you go now

And there ain't no way

and there ain't no how

I'll never see that day...

Xavier smiled and looked at his friend. "Well, Hank, that was a marvelous wedding, if I may say so myself."

Henry nodded. " That was brilliant with Forge, Charles. That boy will go places."

****

'Cause I'm keeping you

forever and for always

We will be together all of our day

Wanna wake up every

morning to your sweet face always

I'm keeping you forever and for always

I'm in your arms 

" Forever, Marie. You can count on that…"

====================================================

Jamie and Ricky exchanged high fives and looked at their hard work. " You know… if we concentrate on something together we're really a team to be feared!"

Ricky nodded. " You want a brother or a sister?"

They looked at each other and smiled. " Sister."

=====================================================

****

Author's Note: sigh. I love that song. 


End file.
